Secret Prophecies
by bexi21
Summary: A prophecy can be an interesting little thing, especially when it pertains to Bella Swan. AU
1. Ch 1: Verrin and the Mysterious EC

**Title**: Secret Prophecies

**Author**: bexi21

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing in this story except for my own little plot line and any characters you may not recognize. Everything else is property of the genius Stephenie Meyer.

**Spoilers**: Takes place after Edward leaves in 'New Moon.'

**Synopsis**: A prophecy can be an interesting little thing. Especially when it pertains to Bella Swan. ExB. Rated PG-13 (but M for later chapters)

**A/N**: This is an idea that I had been toying around with for quite some time now. I can't promise you updates on a regular basis as my real life is a constant array of craziness and it really is a chance of luck when I am able to update. But, I had to get this first chapter down. The plot itself still needs tweaking, but eventually I'll figure everything out ;)

The first part of this story (the part in italics) obviously comes from 'New Moon.' I used direct quotes for the dialogue and paraphrased the rest of Edward and Bella's conversation for the sole purpose of recreating a dream of the event. But, the majority of that part is owned by Stephanie Meyer and comes from page 72 in 'New Moon.'

Secret Prophecies

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_"Destiny is not a matter of chance; but a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for. It is a thing to be achieved."_

_~ William Jennings Bryan_

_-_

_-_

_Edward stood before me, every inch of the beautiful God that he was. His topaz eyes held no emotion. His voice was still, calm._

"_And your memories?" I needed to know if he would ever forget me. If he was going to leave, I had to know. Because I could never forget him. Ever._

"_Well – I won't forget. But _my_ kind… we're very easily distracted." _

_My heart plummeted. I felt like I was crashing downwards at lightning speed – like I was on the Tower of Terror in Disneyland only this wasn't fun. This wasn't some amusement ride. It was a nightmare. And I needed to find a way out of it. _

"_That's everything. I suppose. We won't bother you again."_

_Realization dawned on me suddenly. "Alice isn't coming back." _

"_No. They're all gone. I stayed behind to tell you goodbye."_

_This must have been a dream. It had to have been. Edward would never leave me. He couldn't. He made me a promise. I tried to pinch myself but the stinging sensation that I felt made me realize that this was real. Everything was real. "Alice is gone?" _

_He said a few things explaining her absence but I hardly heard anything. His voice was like a soft musical tune carrying through the woods. There was no diction to it, no syllables that could be clearly heard. I was numb – unmoving. _

"_Goodbye, Bella." _

"Edward!" I screamed loudly as my body bolted into a sitting position. Sweat dripped down my neck, my back, soaking my thin tank top. I felt myself heaving as I gasped for air. It was painful - this clenching feeling in my chest.

Rain pounded on my window and I turned towards it, watching as lightning flashed across the night sky. I could feel the tears rolling down my face, but it didn't matter. It used to be that I could curl up into a cold body of stone and he would kiss away my tears. But not anymore. The coldness had never left me but now I was alone.

I stared ahead, seeing nothing in particular. I wished that there were a way that my nightmare wasn't real. But it was. Every night it was real.

And the pain… It was real too - coursing through me, stabbing me at every angle. I would never escape it. Even moving to Jacksonville didn't help me now. It was almost as if the pain was worse. Because now I was so far away from the place were Edward and his family had existed. It was as if I was trying to forget them, but my heart wouldn't let me.

And I hated it.

I hated feeling this way all the time. There was nothing left in me anymore. I was hollow. Empty.

A soft creak echoed from the hallway and I sat there – waiting for my mother to show herself.

But she never did.

Not that I entirely expected her too. I knew she was standing on the other side of my door, listening intently for any whimpers or soft cries. For the first two weeks that I was here, she would come in and hold me in her arms; rocking me back and forth until sleep consumed me again. It was nice – for once – having her take care of me instead of the other way around.

Her coddling was pointless however. The same nightmare plagued my mind for the past three months. It didn't matter that she would sit with me for an hour or more. She wasn't strong enough to push the dreams away.

I sighed. Would it ever get better than this? So many questions raced through my brain – thousands of them – all going unanswered.

Eventually, I allowed myself to fall back onto the soft mattress. My eyes faced the wall before me as I clutched the blanket to my body, desperately seeking its comfort. For hours I laid that way, staring unseeingly, allowing my mind to completely shut down. And at some time during the night, I had drifted off to sleep, dreaming of haunted amber eyes.

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I had awoken with a start. The sun was now pouring in through the window, cascading its rays over me as I sat up in bed. I squinted; holding my hand up to my eyes as the brightness of the light momentarily blinded me.

Again I was assaulted with the nightmare and again, my chest tightened painfully with each breath. It hurt to know that I would have to live out the rest of my life without him. And the fact that I had no one to confide in made me draw closer and closer into myself with each passing day.

Reluctantly, I climbed out of bed and clumsily shuffled towards my bathroom. I flipped the light switch, instantly regretting it. The light was bright there too. My head hurt, pounding relentlessly. My eyes were red, puffy and showing the trace amounts of tears that had slipped away from my control. Staring at myself in the mirror, I realized that I didn't recognize myself anymore. My skin took on a gray, sickly paleness to it. My bones protruded more that what I'm sure was healthy for my body. Still, as I looked at my reflection, I couldn't bring myself to care. And while that should have bothered me…

It didn't.

Today was just like any other day. I showered, dressed, and stalked down the stairs as if my body was put on autopilot. My movements were robotic. My words were barely a whisper. There was nothing left of the life that I had once lived in Forks, Washington. I was only surviving in the shell of my body, hanging on for the ride until it came to an end.

Renee glanced up at me from her coffee as I walked into the kitchen. I grabbed a banana and sat down, staring at it as if willing myself to have the craving for its sweet, fruity taste. But like every morning, I only tasted ash.

The soft clearing of my mother's throat alerted me that she was meaning to speak to me. However, I never paid any notice to it as I ate my breakfast in silence. If she wanted to speak to me, she could. And I would listen. But if she chose not to speak to me, than that was fine too. I hated that I was behaving so poorly around my mother, but again, I couldn't find it in me to care. I took comfort in her solace when the nightmares plagued me during my sleep. But it was nothing more than that.

Five slow, painful minutes passed by. Renee continued to sip at her coffee and pretended to skim over the morning paper that lay in front of her. Phil was showering upstairs and in ten minutes he would be walking into the kitchen to fix himself a cup of coffee as well. Only I never saw it. Because in exactly one minute, I would get up, dispose of my trash, grab my bag, and leave for another day of school.

We only lived a few blocks away, so I was never in any need to drive anywhere. Other than attending classes, I stayed at home.

"I'll see you tonight," I muttered, before lazily walking towards the front door.

The air was warm against my skin, but it did little to ease the icy cold that constantly plagued my every step.

Here the sun shone everyday with the exception of an occasional storm. And whenever it did depart from the normal summer weather, it showed no mercy. In a way I was happy to see the rain, because the sun reminded me too much of how the Cullens were never around. However, I also hated the rain because it reminded me of when they actually did make their presence known.

School wasn't very different here compared to Forks High. It was bigger but the people were generally the same. There were the Jessica Stanleys and the Lauren Mallorys. Occasionally, I'd see a few Mike Newtons and Tyler Crowleys. And always, always, there were Angela Webers in every class. But no one talked to me. I kept to myself, always sitting in the back of the classroom, carefully taking notes. My body was there; my mind listened in to the lectures, picking out things that were worth noting. But overall, I was a lifeless, mechanical form. My routines didn't change, my life was dull, and most importantly, I was alone.

Lunch was never the most exciting part of my day as it was for the majority of the school population. I sat by myself in a small circular table, off to the side of the cafeteria. No one ever paid any attention to me and I paid none to them. So, I can honestly say that I was quite shocked when I felt and saw the presence of someone standing in front of me.

My eyes lifted from my unappealing ham and cheese sandwich to meet the face of a girl who couldn't have been older than myself. I gasped instantly, because apart from the long, flowing waves of black hair, she held a striking resemblance to Alice Cullen.

"Hello," she chirped, her smile unnecessarily wide. "Do you mind if I sit here? Everywhere else is full."

I sat silently for a few moments, gaping at her as if I were some fish, opening and closing my mouth. "Um… yeah. Sure."

She smiled even more, if that were possible, and sat down in the chair opposite of mine. Other than her familiar appearance, there was nothing else too spectacular about her. However, the whispers that floated around the cafeteria, told me that everyone else seemed to think there was.

"My name's Verrin. I just moved here," she explained, instantly sticking out a hand to me.

Hesitantly, I took hold of her hand, noticing how a sharp tingling sensation, almost like a spark, shot through my arm. It was nothing compared to how I felt when I was with Edward or with the other Cullens. This feeling, whatever it was, frightened me. Instead of behaving rudely, and snatching my hand away, I looked up to meet her gaze. "I'm Bella."

It was then that I fully took notice of her eyes. They were violet. A deep, hypnotizing violet. Again, I felt the need to cower in a corner. Something told me there was more to her than I had fully let on.

"Nice to meet you, Bella," she said, smiling her signature smile once more. She released my hand and began digging through her own lunch. I took this opportunity to study her appearance. Unlike Alice, she wasn't wearing designer clothes, but she certainly wasn't shabby in her taste at all. She only wore a long sleeved black shirt and a pair of normal dark blue jeans. Nothing outstanding, but she carried it as if the outfit was worth a million bucks.

"So," she began, taking a bite of her salad. "Where do you live, Bella?"

"Just down the street, a few blocks away from here."

She nodded, taking another bite before launching into a series of questions, all of which I answered as simply as possible. I asked her a few questions here and there, figuring out that she moved here from Italy and that her dad was in the military. She had two older brothers, an older sister and lived about thirty minutes away from the school.

It was weird… talking to someone else for a change. I wasn't entirely sure that I liked it. But like Alice, she talked ninety miles per hour, which allowed me to continue to wallow in my own self pity with ease, but also like Alice, I couldn't take my eyes away from her.

"Verrin, can I ask you something?" I questioned, nervously picking at the white bread of my sandwich.

She held her fork up in midair and looked up at me with wide, curious eyes. "Of course."

"Well, I was just… just wondering why your eyes are that color. Are they contacts?" I could have slapped myself at the stupidity of the question. Of course I knew they weren't contacts. Me of all people should know the answer to that question. I grimaced as a pair of tawny eyes entered my mind.

But Verrin didn't seem to find the question odd in the slightest and continued, happily eating her salad as she spoke. "No, I get that asked a lot though. It's a birth defect. Runs in the family." She smiled, nodding her head at me before taking a drink of her water.

I did my best to smile back but found I only achieved a rather constipated grimace.

"So, what other classes do you have?" she asked me suddenly. "Maybe we have some together."

It turned out that we did have one class together. The last class of the day, in fact. And also my least favorite. Chemistry.

Verrin laughed at my distaste for the class later that afternoon as we walked towards the science hall together. People would whisper even more as they walked by, no doubt wondering why the new girl was hanging out with the freak. It felt like my first day at Forks High… only people weren't as welcoming.

"You don't like chemistry because there's too much math?" she laughed.

I let out a sorry excuse for a chuckle as we shoved past a group of Jessica Stanleys. "No, I mean, I was okay at it but back at my old school, I always had someone…" A memory of Edward reaching over the kitchen table to help me with calculus flashed before my eyes. All I could see was his crooked grin. "Uh… someone to help me with it."

"Oh," she chirped. "Well, lucky for you, I'm fabulous at it."

Great. Aren't you just special?

I followed her into Mr. Matthews' classroom, keeping my head down from all of the other students who seemed to be gawking in Verrin's direction. My lab table was just like all of my other seats. In the very back of the room.

Sighing, I dropped my bag and glanced up towards Verrin, watching with mild curiosity as she chatted animatedly with Mr. Matthews.

He glanced over a seating chart quickly after handing her the textbook for the class. "Alright, Miss Rigas, you can take your seat by Mr. Hines."

I grimaced at the pimply faced boy on the opposite side of the room. He was the only one without a lab partner. But if it weren't for seating charts, I'd probably be in his situation right now and not sitting beside of one of the biggest jocks in the school, Marty Andrews.

I tensed as Marty chuckled heartily and blew a spitball out of an empty pen tube that landed near the front of the class. _No. I think I'd rather be alone actually. _

As I turned my attention back to the front of the room, I noticed that Verrin hadn't moved from her spot. In fact, she was staring at Mr. Matthews pointedly, almost as if trying to get his attention. Immediately, he jerked his head up from the papers on his desk and stared at her as if in a daze. I looked around me to see if anyone else noticed this quiet exchange, but it seemed that I was the only one.

Finally, Mr. Matthews spoke. "Mr. Andrews," he bellowed, looking back to my table.

Everyone turned around as Marty hastily hid his spitball pen. "Yes, Sir?"

"You're switching lab partners. From now on you'll be partnered up with Mr. Hines and Miss Swan, you will be lab partners with Miss Rigas."

Both Marty and I looked at our teacher as if he had grown a second head, however I'm sure my reasoning was different from Marty's.

"Minutes are ticking by, Mr. Andrews. Tick, tick. Let's move."

I watched in shock as Marty gathered his things and trudged over to the pimply kid's table. Within seconds, Verrin was sitting beside me, a huge smile plastered over her elfin face.

"Isn't this exciting?" she whispered, pulling out a plain, black notebook. "I can help you with the math part now."

I stared blankly at her for a few moments, unable to think of something clever to even say.

She stared back at me curiously, furrowing her brow. "What?"

"How…" I shook my head, trying to discern what I had just seen. "How did you do that? Make Mr. Matthews change his mind?"

"I just asked him, Bella," she shrugged, already writing down the date at the top of a blank sheet of paper.

"But I didn't see you talking."

She laughed at me before finally placing her pen down and turning to fully face me. "Well, I _did _talk to him. Besides, aren't you happy? I can't see anyone actually liking _that _oaf of a guy as a lab partner anyway," she replied, pointing over to Marty who now sat as far away as he possibly could from his partner.

Normally, I'm a social retard, but today I was absolutely positive I had made myself look even more idiotic than usual as I gaped at her. "But…"

"Alright class, let's talk about carbon bonds." Mr. Matthews voice boomed loudly throughout the room, signaling the end of our discussion.

So I sat there, trying my best to remain focused on today's lecture but with little success. Verrin was different. She certainly wasn't a vampire, of that I was certain. But I knew what I had witnessed earlier. I wasn't crazy. I may have acted like it sometimes, but I of all people knew there were other beings in the world other than humans. Was it possible that she wasn't human? I instantly shook my head of that thought and vowed to take a much needed nap as soon as I got home.

Occasionally, I would chance a glance in her direction, but Verrin was simply taking notes like everyone else in the room. And just below her notebook were a few pieces of paper, their corners slightly revealed on the table. Frowning, I looked closer, noting the handwritten letters and symbols that seemed to decorate the crisp edges. And I would have dismissed it for nothing more than the product of harmless doodling, if it weren't for two letters that made my heart swell and burst all at once. Two letters that showered me with an icy coldness that I wasn't all too fond of.

_"E.C."_

Slowly, I turned to look at Verrin more fully. To my surprise, she was staring directly at me, a simple, sweet smile on her face. Her violet eyes sparkled underneath the fluorescent lights in such a way that I visibly cringed. She then winked at me and resumed her note taking as if nothing had even happened.

I turned quickly, pretending that I, too, was interested in jotting down chemistry notes, moving my pen fervently over the paper. When in actuality, I spent the rest of the class period wondering just who Verrin Rigas was and why she seemed to have such a particular interest in me.

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**A/N #2**: Reviews equal some serious love and more insight on Verrin and the mysterious E.C. *wink wink*


	2. Ch 2: Verrin Mysterious, Wouldn

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing in this story except for my own little plot line and any characters you may not recognize. Everything else is property of the genius Stephenie Meyer.

**A/N**: Firstly, thank you so much for the awesome responses the first chapter received! And just for that, I found a little time to write an update ;) There's still a lot of mystery in there, so don't expect to have everything solved and honky dory right away. Just bare with me here... lol.

Also, please forgive the monotony of the beginning of this chapter. I had to sort of throw in the feeling of Bella's life being robotic and simply uninteresting due to her emotional state.

Anyway, enjoy!

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**Bella's POV**:

The warm breeze swept past my skin as I made the five-block trip to my home. Today had been an interesting day… to say the least. It seemed that I would soon have a new friend here in Jacksonville. Whether or not I was actually pleased of that fact, I wasn't sure. However, I planned to make the most of it, starting with meeting Verrin at the library after school tomorrow. And if there was any time that I could ask her about her "doodlings" it was going to be then. Besides, Renee and Phil would want to see me hanging out with people again. Right?

Sighing, I adjusted the strap of my bag, glancing up towards the brilliant sun-filled sky. In some ways, I almost wished that I stayed in Forks. At least there, Charlie wouldn't be so apt to voice his concern for my current… condition. I could pretend that I was okay, surrounded by my friends at Forks High, more easily than I could here. Plus, there was always Jacob. He would send me the occasional e-mail every once in a while. I knew he had to be at school in order to do so, but the fact that he even made that kind of effort was oddly comforting.

My thoughts turned sour as Billy Black's face appeared in my mind. I'm sure he was getting a great kick out of my situation now. _"We'll be watching you." _Ha! Let him watch me nine states away. Or was it ten?

The wind picked up slightly, feathering my hair over my eyes and completely obscuring my vision. Not a good thing for the uncoordinated.

I lost my footing on a patch of uneven sidewalk, stubbing my toe in the process. The air left me in an audible 'whoosh,' leaving me to fall towards the ground. Instantly, I shot my hands out to catch the weight of my body, but only managed to scrape away the first layer of skin on my wrists.

Fabulous.

Thankful that no one seemed to notice my graceful face plant, I quickly pushed myself up and made my way down the remaining two blocks; carefully watching my footing as I went.

Phil's car was still missing when I walked up the small path to our front door, which meant that he was still at practice. The screen door squeaked as I pushed it open, holding it steady with my foot as I fumbled with my keys. Overall, our home in Jacksonville was nice and definitely spacious for a three-member family like ours. We had an indoor pool and everything. So, when my mom said that I would love it here, she wasn't lying. The only problem was that I lacked the emotional capacity to even really care.

The sound of Renee's voice echoed throughout the house upon my entrance. As I walked past the kitchen, I noticed that she was talking animatedly on the phone, lazily sitting in one of the bar stools as she spoke. She became aware of my presence and mouthed a "hey, baby" before I made my way up the stairs.

I let my bag fall to the ground with a loud thud as I entered my room. The sun still cascaded over the floorboards, illuminating the area with a warm cheerfulness. And yet it still never ceased the cold that forever haunted me.

My wrists stung from the newly exposed flesh, making me wince. It used to be that colds hands would have enveloped mine, gingerly holding them while bandaging the wounds. But what once was reality… was now only just a dream.

Feeling more alone than I had felt since arriving here, I made my way into the bathroom and bandaged my hands all on my own.

The rest of my day was dull. Boring.

I ate dinner with my parents and listened to Phil as he talked relentlessly on today's practice. And afterwards, I washed the dishes and headed back upstairs to finish my homework.

Around ten that night, I finally crawled in bed, doing everything in my power to will myself to sleep. Again, the nightmare plagued my mind and again I woke with a start, clutching my chest as it tightened painfully.

A few sobs escaped my lips as I lowered my head into my hands. Would it never end? Would I ever be normal again? I could feel the tears slipping through my fingers and dripping down my wrists. The feeling only made me cry harder.

Eventually, I lifted my head and reached out to grab a tissue. In doing so, I caught the faintest sign of movement out of the corner of my eye. A shadow of a figure was cast over my wall, almost as if someone was looking in on me from my window.

A cold chill shot down my spine as I immediately turned towards my window, not knowing what or who I should have expected to see.

But there was nothing. Only the trees swaying slightly in the night breeze.

And when I turned back around, the shadow was gone as well. Swallowing heavily, I reached over to the lamp on my nightstand and turned it on. Its soft glow stayed illuminated for the rest of the night. It never helped me fall back to sleep, but in some way, I vaguely felt more comforted by its presence.

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The next day was the same as yesterday. I ate my breakfast in silence. I walked the halls of my school quietly, carefully avoiding any attention. And when lunchtime came around, Verrin was there at my table, waiting for me.

"You look like hell," she stated, watching me with concern as I sat down.

I couldn't help but roll my eyes. "Thanks."

"No, seriously, are you okay?"

She seemed genuinely concerned as she unwrapped a bagel sandwich. And as much as I tried to not flinch at the intensity of her violet eyes, I couldn't help but shudder.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just didn't sleep that well." I brought out my own sandwich, which looked like it needed to be slapped a little in order to bounce back to life, and grimaced. Feeling slightly nauseated, I quietly pushed it away.

"Hey, do you mind if we go to the public library instead of the school one? I mean, I figure, why go to the one here. It's so boring," Verrin said, taking a huge bite of her meal.

I stared at her quizzically wondering just why she was so apt on going to the library anyway. "Um… no, that's fine, but it's about a ten minute drive from here. And I don't have a car," I added glumly. Bringing the truck here was out of the question. Renee refused to have something so trashy parked outside of our home. So, it stayed with Charlie. And if I was being honest with myself, I preferred it that way. Too many memories that I didn't want to deal with anymore.

"It's cool. I'll drive!" she chirped, winking at me happily.

I did my best to smile at her, all while telling myself that I just wanted the day to be over with.

To my happy surprise, someone up there must really love me, because the last three classes of the day quickly flew by. Soon we were driving down the road in Verrin's Audi, speeding towards the library. I chuckled quietly, knowing that this car would be good enough for the Cullens but definitely not fast enough for Alice.

"What's so funny?" Verrin asked, smiling in my direction. She rolled her window down and allowed the warm air to whip through her long black hair.

I smiled. "Nothing really. So, why did you want to go to the library?"

"Make-up work," she huffed. "You wouldn't believe how much I have. Plus, this is a lot quieter than my home."

"Oh," I responded rather dully and shifted my gaze back out the window. I had been to the public library several times before whenever Renee felt the need to let me borrow her car. So I can honestly say, that I didn't mind Verrin's choice for a hangout.

The parking lot was relatively empty when we pulled in and I couldn't have been more grateful for it. Not that it really mattered if there were tons of people here or not. The library was a large one-floor building with several enclosed corners where you could read in peace and not worry about too many people milling around.

It was nice and the only place that I had felt somewhat comfortable in since I moved.

Book bags at the ready, Verrin and I made our way through the front doors of the library and into the main room. The high vaulted ceilings added more to the exceptional space and instantly I felt my body relax.

For the next two hours, we sat at a circular table set off to the side. And every so often, I would look up from the book I was reading to see what notes Verrin had scattered about on the table. My eyes would frantically scan over each page for those infamous two letters when I knew she wasn't looking.

After another twenty minutes went by, I had finally made the decision to give up. Of course, that was the very same time she pulled out another notebook from her bag and dropped a few loose pages to the floor. Instinctively, I reached down to grab them. And my heart nearly stopped.

There on the very top page, were the two letters I had seen in class yesterday. _"E.C."_ I blinked hard, wondering if maybe I was delusional and only slightly happy to realize that I wasn't. But just below the letters, were other drawn out symbols and written names. Some I didn't even understand, but one phrase drew me in, so familiar to me and yet so terrifying. "_Two dark headed, one white."_ I felt a small shiver run through my spine as I straightened up and quickly handed the papers to Verrin, forcing an apologetic smile on my face.

She stared back at me intently and I had to fight the urge to go hide in the back corner of the library and never leave. But eventually, her hardened expression softened and she carefully placed the papers back in her bag.

I knew I shouldn't ask her. I knew, especially after that stare, that I shouldn't even dream of asking her this question. But because I'm socially retarded, I did it anyway.

"Verrin?" I asked cautiously, watching her reactions closely. She tilted her head in my direction as she filled out a statistics worksheet, but never lifted her gaze to mine. So, I took it as my move to speak further. "Who's E.C.?"

Her head snapped up so sharply, I was sure she pulled something. But in that moment, as her eyes sparkled dangerously beneath the light, her possible neck strains were the least of my worries.

"What?" Her voice was off and certainly didn't carry the lighthearted musical tone to it that I was so used to hearing now.

I opened my mouth to say something… anything… but before I could, a loud booming voice cut me off.

"Hey there, chica! What are you doing here?"

Verrin immediately looked from me to two tall, dark-haired men who now stood by our table. I knew that they couldn't be much older than us, but "boys" would hardly describe them. They were huge, in the bulky sort of way, making me suddenly think of Emmett.

"Christ, Alex!" Verrin hissed. "Do you have to be so loud and pop out of nowhere like that?"

The man, who I took to be as Alex, shook his head with a wry smile. The slightest hint of an accent colored his voice, but I couldn't quite place it. "Absolutely, sister. What's a big brother for anyway?"

Verrin casually rolled her eyes and turned back to me, the E.C. comment forgotten. "Sorry, Bella. These are my two brothers. Alex and Damian."

Both men turned to me, smiling brilliantly, and I had to bite the inside of my cheek from gasping in surprise. Just like their sister, they both had the same brilliant violet eyes.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Bella," Damian greeted, extending his hand to me. I smiled and took hold of his hand, shaking it lightly. Damien was a bit shorter than Alex and had slightly longer, curlier hair but both were equally beautiful. The all too familiar outcast feeling crept up inside of me as I watched the modelesque family begin to talk quietly amongst themselves.

Feeling the need to get some air, I quietly excused myself and walked to the front desk, three new books in hand. The old librarian, Mrs. Fitch, stared pointedly at me from the top of her glasses as I approached the counter.

"Hello, Mrs. Fitch." I hoped that my voice didn't sound too depressing, but more than likely… it did.

"Hello, Bella," she said, a small smile lifting the corners of her mouth as she took the three books. "It's nice to see an old regular here again."

Frowning as I watched her scan my library card, I couldn't help but ask a question. "Really? Have there been a lot of new people here or something?"

She sighed and nodded towards my table. "Those two young men over there." I turned around, closing watching Alex and Damian as they sat down, both faces wearing similar grave expressions. "They've been in here for hours at a time for the past three days." She shook her head in annoyance as if spending that amount of time in the library was a bad thing. I stood there, studying them as the three siblings spoke quietly. It was obvious that whatever they were discussing was quite serious. I watched as Alex's body began to stiffen and slowly, making my heart begin to pump so wildly that I thought it would burst free, he turned to me, and locked his powerful violet gaze with mine. My breath caught in my throat as small tremors cascaded down my legs. "They're always checking out books on Volterra or some such place."

I turned my gaze sharply back to Mrs. Fitch, both thankful and fearful for what she had said. Volterra? The memory of Edward walking me through Carlisle's study flashed through my mind. I could still see the haunting portrait of the powerful vampire leaders in Italy.

"Well, here you go dear. They're due in a month."

Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I smiled politely to Mrs. Fitch and retrieved my books. "Thanks."

By the time I got back to the table, both Alex and Damian were gone and Verrin was packing away her things.

"Do you mind if we call it a night?" she asked casually, the same bright smile on her face.

"No." I shook my head quickly, doing my best to mask the uneasiness that I still felt. "No, not at all."

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It was dark by the time Verrin dropped me off at my house, and I waved goodbye to her, promising to have another library date very soon. Mentally, I told myself that I would find out anything I could about Verrin and her family during that time.

Walking up the small sidewalk, I did my best to stay focused on my footing, but found that I was too engrossed in today's events. The Rigas family was slowly becoming more mysterious by the minute, if the library incident wasn't enough to prove it. And then the connection instantly came to my mind, dowsing me with its icy coldness. Gasping suddenly, I stopped in midstride on the pathway to our home. _Volterra… Two dark headed, one white…_

"_The Volturi are a family," Edward explained to me, his eyes distant, still brooding as he looked past me. "A very old, very powerful family of our kind."_

The flashback of us watching _Romeo and Juliet_ haunted me for days after he had left me, but I failed to really focus on this one particular part. Was it possible that the Rigas family was researching the Volturi? Maybe it was too much for me to hope, but I felt – more so now – that E.C. stood for Edward Cullen. The name itself almost brought me to my knees.

"Bella! Come inside, what are you doing?"

Instantly, I looked up to see Renee standing in the doorway, her hands on her hips, staring at me uncertainly as if I may drop dead at any moment.

"Uh… sorry, mom. I'm coming."

Quickly, and cautiously, I shuffled into the house, bypassing Renee as she muttered something about dinner and made my way up the stairs towards my room.

After shutting my door, I let my bag collapse to the floor with a loud clunk. And because I somehow ask for it all the time, I tripped over the bag, and stumbled towards my desk where I eventually caught myself.

Sighing, I sat down and turned on the laptop that Renee and Phil had bought me as a welcome home gift. The only thing I was grateful for, was that it worked better than the old desktop that sat untouched in my room back at Forks.

The thought made me cringe.

Soon, I was online, checking my e-mail like I always did when I came home from school… or in this case, the library. My pattern never changed. It was routine, just like the rest of my life.

Several pieces of junk mail proceeded to fill in my inbox and I quickly went through the list, deleting all of them and staring at my screen in a daze. Nothing seemed to float through my mind. My brain was now switched on to autopilot.

And that's when I saw it.

A message from Jacob Black.

My heart squeezed painfully, just like it did whenever I heard from anyone in Forks. So, with curious eyes and a nervously shaking hand, I clicked on the message and waited with bated breath as it began to load.

_Hey Bells,_

_How's life in Florida? Please tell me you're doing something productive, like beating your mom's butt in the kitchen with your mad cooking skills. _

_No, seriously, don't tell me you're still locking yourself up in the house. I haven't heard from you in a while and was worried. _

_Also, I thought you should know that the Cullens came back to Forks. Well, most of them anyway. The two older siblings are still off at Dartmouth or someplace. But the rest of them are back. My dad's having a holy fit over it, always muttering something about tribe meetings and whatnot. I swear, I love him but he's a superstitious old fool. _

_Anyway, I thought you should know. Please send me a message back, Bells._

_Miss you,_

_Jacob_

My heart did something other then clench for once. It fell – breaking into tiny pieces. I could feel each shatter, each miniscule ounce of pain. Tears began to cloud my eyes, warping my vision of the computer screen. Its bright light shone vibrantly through the watery haze and I allowed it to swallow me whole.

So, it was true. Edward really never wanted me. He only felt it necessary to return to Forks after he was sure that I was gone.

I wanted to be angry. I wanted to slam my fist into the desk, or take my laptop and chuck it across the room.

Only I didn't.

"Bella, honey," my mom called, lightly tapping on the other side of my door. "Dinner will be ready in ten minutes."

I opened my mouth, but couldn't tell if I was actually responding to her. There was a familiar sound in the air. It reminded me of my voice but I couldn't hear it clearly. Whatever I did say, caused her to leave me alone for the rest of the night.

At that moment, I quietly shut my computer and stood up. My feet moved on their own accord, carrying me to places that my mind couldn't process. I felt the bed against my knees first, and then the soft comforter molding to my body as I lay down. I saw the off white wall as I pressed my cheek to the pillow, its starkness almost blinding me. And I let the tears flow freely. Silently.

It wasn't until I heard the most pathetic cry echo throughout the room that I smashed my hands over ears, trying my best to block out the noise. It was too painful – hearing that sound. It made my heart sink lower and lower within my chest.

Still, the noise grew louder and with each new pitch, my body would tremble.

It wasn't until minutes later, that I realized the sound was my own heartbreaking cry. In that moment, I wanted nothing more than to have Edward nearby. I wanted him to hear my screams. I wanted him to see the tears that soaked my sheets. Because this is what he had done to me. This is what I had become. Broken. Hopeless. And alone.

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**A/N #2**: Okay, I want to make a few notes here...

1) That little flashback you read earlier? Came from page 19 in 'New Moon' and is property of the genius Stephenie Meyer.

2) This story isn't going to necessarily follow the same time frame of the series. I can't really remember if Jacob would have been a werewolf after three months of Edward leaving, but in this story, I'm saying he's not... yet. muahaha...

3) I have no freakin' clue if Jacob has a computer. But for the sake that he doesn't, I've decided that he only e-mails Bella when he's at school and can get to a computer.

4) Alright, so for the whole "how many states away is Florida from Washington" bit... I counted in a diagonal line... so if I got it way wrong, don't laugh at my retarded geographical ways. :P

5) Edward's POV will be next! I can't help it... I miss him. *le sigh* XD

6) I don't have the time to respond to all of your reviews, but as I mentioned earlier, I appreciate all of them and thank you for even taking the time out to review this story! :D


	3. Author's Note

**Author's Note**:

I know… I'm sorry it's not an update. But, I want to thank you all so much for the reviews! :D You guys are awesome. Seriously.

And because of that, I've made a video for this story.** The link will be in my profile.**

However… there is a HUGE chance that it could be taken down from YouTube due to the fact that I've used clips from the movie. But... if that happens and you want to see the video, send me a message with your e-mail address and I'll send it to you ;)

Thanks again for reading and reviewing! I'll have the Edward's POV up soon XD


	4. Ch 3: Lost

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing in this story except for my own little plot line and any characters you may not recognize. Everything else is property of the genius Stephenie Meyer.

**A/N**: Yeah, I didn't actually think I was going to get this up so soon, which is why I posted that video yesterday. Ah well... lol. I doubt you all are going to complain about that. ;) Btw, thank you so much for the reviews on the video! I'm glad you all really enjoyed it :D

Anyway, here's Mr. Dazzler himself. Like I said in my last update... I really missed him. lol There is a link to background music from the actual Twilight Score in my profile. You can listen to if you choose while you read ;) So, with that said, I hope you enjoy it!

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**Edward's POV**:

Charlie sat in the living room, remote in hand. Three empty beer cans littered the small end table beside of the couch. The flickering of colored lights from the t.v. illuminated the solemn expression on his face. Wrinkles creased his forehead, withering lines that drew the portrait of an old, tired man.

I frowned, standing under the cover of tall pines. The air was damp as a thin mist rolled over my face, soaking my cold skin. I couldn't understand Charlie's behavior. His mind was blank, so eerily quiet that I felt a small twinge of fear.

And then three small words.

_I miss her_.

The wind tousled my hair briefly as my scenery changed. I now looked into the closed window of my love's room, crouched down on a limb that stood just outside this part of the house. The lights were out; her bed was made. Everything about her was gone. The clothes, the books, the pictures… even her scent wasn't strong here anymore.

The icy tips of my fingers pressed against the glass as my heart tightened painfully. How could I have ever expected her to stay here and wait for me. I told her that I didn't want her. That I didn't love her. And she believed me. God help me, she believed the lies that I spoke to her three months ago.

I couldn't stand the feeling of loneliness anymore, surrounded by my family all paired off happily. It hurt… not being with her. Physically hurt. Every step I took away from Bella, every mile we drove away from Forks, every hour that passed by each day without her, initiated the most excruciating kind of ache within my chest.

I had left to keep her safe. I left because I knew she could do better than me. She _was_ better than me.

Maybe it was the delusional state I had allowed myself to fall into while we were away, but a part of me hoped she'd still be here when I finally decided to return.

How foolishly stupid I was… for everything.

_Edward, come down from there._

Frowning, I slowly dropped my hand from the cold windowpane, my fingerprints smudging the only evidence of my presence as I numbly dropped to the ground.

"Are you okay?"

I turned my head slightly, nodding towards the musical voice and silently brushed past my younger sister.

She followed me into the woods surrounding the Swan's home, keeping close to me, watching my every move.

"You don't have to follow me, Alice."

She kept quiet, mirroring my every step until we were deep within the heart of the forest. The silence was overwhelming. I couldn't stand it any longer.

"Alice –"

"Edward," she started, her amber gaze glowing through the darkness. "Do you honestly think I would let you wander over here alone?"

The small frown on her face told me all I needed to know. "So you saw this? You knew she wouldn't be here?" My questions came out a little too harsh, but in all honesty, I had to know.

But Alice held her ground before me. I could see the minute change in her fists as they clenched by her sides. "You wouldn't let me look into her future while we were away. I've been out of tune with her for so long now, that when we finally came back, I could only see her future in blurred fragments. I came here to follow you as soon as I knew."

I stared blankly at her before my face finally fell. It wasn't like we could just leave again and God only knew that I couldn't stay away from Forks any longer. Not if there was any chance that she would return. And Carlisle would surely crucify me if he had to tell the hospital he was leaving again.

"Where did she go?" I asked quietly, my voice hardly audible, so much so that a human would have never heard it.

Alice sighed and took a step closer to me, gently touching my shoulder in comfort. "She's in Jacksonville with Renee and Phil."

So she took my advice and left to be with her mother after all. I nodded solemnly, feeling that strange ache in my chest again. "Is she alright?"

I couldn't meet her gaze, not after everything I had put my family through. It almost seemed laughable that she would even allow me to ask these questions. I had no right to know anymore. That was taken away from me the day I broke my love's heart.

Alice's tiny fingers slid under my chin, tilting my head up until I finally decided to meet her gaze. She smiled sadly, bringing her hand back down to rest on my shoulder. I could feel the comforting caresses she made with her thumb, but it did little to ease my suffering. "I think in time she will be," her voice was small as she spoke, her eyes holding the slightest hint of unease. "Right now I can't see too much of her future but what I do see is restless nights and a dull, routine life. She's sort of enclosed herself into a little bubble to make her feel safe until she can move on from you. I only get bits and pieces, but I have faith that she will pull through, Edward. Bella's strong. You and I both know that."

I nodded, letting my gaze drift back to the ground. "I think I'm going to just wander on my own for a bit tonight. I'll meet you back at the house later."

Alice released my shoulder, her face saddened as she watched me turn away. And just like that I was gone, racing through the woods that outlined the borders of Forks.

My mind was in a daze. I hardly noticed the trees that swept past me, nor did I feel the light tickle of the leaves as they brushed against my face. There was nothing as I traveled through the darkness. Only me and the pale moonlight from up above.

The faint sound of rippling water assaulted my mind. I was closer now to our home, but still felt no need to return and meet the forlorn expressions of my family. The pain that I felt now needed to be released. I needed to get my mind off of Bella Swan… if only for a little while.

That's when I smelled the small herd of deer grazing only a few feet away. My quickened pace soon turned into strides and finally into the silent stalking that only a predator like myself could achieve. Yes. Here was the monster, finally being unleashed. I stayed hidden, cloaked beneath the shadows, as I pursued the small herd, watching them eat in peaceful bliss. It was intoxicating, this feeling of being able to release my frustrations in this way. As I neared closer, taking in my prey, the blood that flowed through their veins was almost visible to my gaze. I felt the venom pool in my mouth. I felt the blackness spread out in my eyes, filling every tawny line of the two irises. And I enjoyed the energy that crackled through my nerves, fueling my hunger and thirst.

Slowly, I crouched down, my lips peeling back over my teeth. Here was what I was. A gruesome monster who should feel anything but love.

The resonating sound of a growl ripped through my lips, startling the deer. Their ears straightened high in the hair, their necks elongating. My eyes fixed on that one spot and soon they took off, dirt kicking up from behind them.

I leapt forward, racing at their heels, dodging around trees as I attempted to close in from the side. It would have been too easy to take one down. I needed to feel the pain and desperation. I needed this torment to last just a little bit longer, if only to inflict the torture on myself for what I had done to Bella. I shook my head quickly, growling into the night as I jumped over a log. I wasn't going to think of her right now. It wasn't right. Those thoughts were something I didn't deserve anymore.

A new scent.

It slammed into me as if I had burst through a brick wall, bringing me to a halt as dirt spewed up into the air around me. There were only so many smells that would have taken my mind away from a hunt.

The scent of another vampire was one of them.

Images of lightening and thunderous clouds entered my mind. Soon everything I saw became choppy. A baseball. Green grass. Bare feet. Our family standing in a clearing. Baseball caps. Brown hair. Bella.

I stood still, my black eyes searching the forest frantically. No longer was I in the need to hunt, but now I wanted to kill. That surge of rage boiled within my veins. And a strong urge to rip flesh away from bone made my fingers twitch involuntarily.

That's when I saw it. A flash of red.

Immediately, I took off again, racing through the trees to catch up with my enemy. Yes, _she_ was my enemy.

"Why do you run, Victoria?" I called out, only a few feet from her now. "Don't you want to confront the one who had your beloved leech killed?"

A loud snarl echoed through the air. I dodged easily out of the way as a tree limb flew towards my head. Still she kept running.

And still I chased after her. It wasn't as easy to corner her as I thought, but soon I had whipped in front of her, tackling her to the ground. The sound of a cannonball firing off echoed through the woods as our bodies met the dirt. She threw me off of her easily, readying herself in a attacking position.

I copied her stance as we hissed at each other. "Why are you here?" I snarled.

She sneered at me, her eyes blackening even further. "Why don't you go ask your family?" A devious smile spread across her lips. She slowly straightened, her body relaxing minutely. "It's a pity your human isn't here. I would have_ loved _to see her again."

I stepped forward, ready to wrap my hand around her throat as I hissed dangerously.

She only chuckled. _Imagine what the Volturi would do if you hurt me._

That stopped my movements all together. Confusion overtook me as I frowned at her. She took the opportunity to her benefit and ran, but not before winking as she left.

I didn't follow her. Instead, I sped back to our home, a strange fear overtaking me. The feeling only calmed slightly as Carlisle came into view, standing on the front porch. Waiting.

"Carlisle, what's going on?" I questioned, easily stopping from my run before him. "I just saw Victoria in the woods."

"Yes…" he sighed. It was then that I noticed a small letter enveloped in his hands. "She works for the Volturi I'm afraid. She brought us this letter."

His words nearly blew me over. And suddenly a connection had formed between this news and what Victoria had informed me. "Why would they have her work for them? Even as a messenger? She has no special power and therefore no use to Aro."

Carlisle looked out towards the river thoughtfully, pursing his lips. "That's a question I wouldn't mind knowing the answer to myself." He spoke his thoughts out loud to me almost as if trying to make his point even clearer.

An image of tidy scrawl entered my mind – random words from the letter he held in his hands. He turned to me then, his eyes serious. "It seems we're needed in Volterra."

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**A/N #2**: Sorry I ended this like that... I'm sure you all are like, "What?!?! I don't understand!!! Why'd you stop it there? What's up with Victoria?" Haha... what can I say? It's all I had the time to actually write. Plus, I'm notorious for keeping my readers guessing in any mystery fics I write, so you've been warned. Muahaha...

Oh and if you didn't already get it from the video, Jacob is definitely staying a werewolf in this. No shapeshifter business. Boo on that. ;P

Thanks again for the reviews on the last chapter and the video, guys! I send lots of hugs your way :D


	5. Ch 4: Searching for Answers Untold

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing in this story except for my own little plot line and any characters you may not recognize. Everything else is property of the genius Stephenie Meyer.

**A/N**: You'll have to excuse the long wait for an update. I had a little bit of life crisis occur and it took time away from me to write. But, this is SUPER long so I hope that makes up for it ;)

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**Bella's POV**:

_Fog. Thick and opaque. It was cool against my skin as I walked through the darkness. Trees surrounded me, tall and ominous – much like the day he left me. _

_I could see the small puffs of air that my breath created in the cold. The leaves crunched beneath my feet. My eyes darted carefully from side to side, knowing that I wasn't alone. _

_A cracking sound came from the right, setting my nerves on fire. I turned, desperately seeking out the source of movement as the fog filtered through the ebony forest, bringing forth a night that blanketed my heart and mind._

_The slight hint of a breeze swept past my face and I turned again, feeling my heart beat violently within my chest. _

_The breeze flashed by once more, and this time, as I turned, slowly lifting my eyes, I met a familiar violet gaze. Her eyes sparkled, illuminating the forest with the strangest aura of light. "Verrin?" I asked. Even in dreams, my voice was different. _

"_Bella." Concern masked the elfin features of her face as her small mouth turned down into a frown. "You're one of us now." _

_I stared at her silently, frozen to my spot. "I… what?" Shaking my head nervously, I licked my lips, hoping that I wouldn't feel the sensation and this would all turn out to be the dream I knew it was. "I don't understand. What do you mean? What are you?" The questions seemed to spill forth in a feverish pace._

_Suddenly, her eyes changed as liquid black seeped into her irises from the small pupils. I grimaced in horror at the frightening contrast of the blackness of her eyes to the snow white of her skin. I felt myself back away from her slowly as I watched the ebony color seep into the white of her eyes, coating them in darkness. What I saw there was my reflection – a timid, fragile human. Yet there was something different… the slightest hint of a violet glow resonated from my own gaze. _

_I lifted my hand to my mouth in shock. My eyes were as bright and powerful as Verrin's once were. What had I become?_

"_You need to save him," Verrin spoke suddenly, her voice urgent. "You need to save _them_." _

_I shook my head again, stumbling backwards. "Wh-What? I…" _

_A loud crack echoed through the air, catching my attention as I whipped my head to the right. There, kneeling only a few feet away from me, on his knees, was Edward Cullen. His tawny eyes stared into mine, pleading. _

"_Bella…" _

_The sound of his voice caused my heart to thump violently. My knees shook with the effort of holding me up and I grabbed onto a low tree branch, not even caring as the wood splintered its way through my skin. _

"_Bella," he whispered, his voice hoarse and full of tears that he could never shed. "I'm so sorry." _

_A soft sob escaped me and I immediately clamped my hand over my mouth as the warmth of my tears flowed freely over my skin._

"_Bella," Edward repeated, inching forward on his knees. This wasn't the Edward I knew. This was someone broken, defeated. This was a man who knew suffering and welcomed it. It was only then that I noticed his arms were held behind him._

_No… not behind him. I stifled a heart-wrenching cry. _

_Edward's arms were missing, torn off of his body and left to be forgotten. He whimpered as he saw my expression. "Please forgive me, Bella… Please…" _

_I felt myself move towards him, my fingers shaking as I reached out tentatively to his face. "How?" I whispered. This wasn't something my eyes were accustomed to witnessing. How had he become like this? _

_It was then, that a hand shot through the darkness behind him, grabbing his shoulder and knocking him to the ground. _

"_Edward!" I screamed, stumbling forward as he lay across the dirt of the forest floor. The green moss stained his clothes as he attempted to lift himself up._

_I looked around furiously for the unseen attacker and only found myself looking into Verrin's concerned gaze yet again._

"_Don't you see, Bella?" she asked, her musical voice floating through the air around us. "You have to fulfill the prophecy, Bella. Don't you understand?" _

"_No!" I cried, allowing the tears to stream down my face. "What prophecy?" My knees gave way instantly and I found myself crawling towards Edward as he stared up at me through heavy lidded eyes. I reached out to him, my fingers running over his chest and around to his back so that I could place his head in my lap. _

_He smiled ever so slightly, allowing my shaking hands to caress his face. "What do you want from me!" I yelled, a sob bursting through my words as I turned back to Verrin._

_Her eyes were now back to the same glistening violet as she continued to watch us with a solemn frown. "You need to save them," she said again, not bothering to explain anything further._

"_Them?" I asked, looking around me for another person as I continued to cling to Edward desperately. "Who else are you talking about?" _

"_Bella…" _

_A new voice filled the air. I turned my head to the sound, my lips parting and my eyes growing wide at the person before me, kneeling down much as Edward had. "Jacob?" _

_He tried to smile but it only came across as a grimace. "Hey, Bells." _

_My eyes traveled from his bruised face to the large gash that sliced through the front of his bare chest. Bright crimson blood flowed freely from the open wound. "Oh my God, Jake… what happened to you?" _

_He opened his mouth to reply, but a force knocked me to the ground, causing me to loose my grip on Edward's body. Dirt had caked itself into my hair and I quickly pushed myself up, looking frantically for Edward, only to find him kneeling on the ground once again. He was facing Jacob, mirroring his posture. And I was stuck in the middle. _

_Fear coursed through my body as I felt myself shut down completely, dropping back to the ground and curling into a tight ball. I shut my eyes tightly and began whispering words frantically as my body shook with fright. "Please wake up. Please wake up. Please wake up."_

"_Don't worry, Bells," Jacob murmured, his voice soft and laced with pain._

_Slowly, I lifted myself, only barely able to push my body up a few inches. Strands of my hair fell across my face as I stared into Jake's dark eyes. _

_Tears had leaked over and had now mixed in with the blood that stained his mahogany skin. Still, his grin never faltered as he watched me._

_Out of the darkness, I noticed a pair of red eyes, glowing menacingly as they approached gradually behind Jacob. _

"_The Volturi," Edward choked out in a mere whisper. _

_I spun sharply around to face him, struck with horror as I saw the same pair of red eyes behind him as well. A figure cloaked in black came into view, but in that moment, I could only focus on the silver sword in the attacker's hand. _

_Numb. I felt as if I was stuck in some sort of time warp, desperate to break free but unable to do so. Why wasn't Edward fighting back? Even with his injuries, he could still attack his enemy. I didn't understand it. And as I searched his golden eyes, lost in the darkness of the forest, I could only see one emotion. _

_Guilt._

_Why was he feeling guilty? What could he possibly feel remorseful for? _

"_Tell my dad that I love him, Bells. Would you do that for me?" _

_I gasped sharply at the sound as I turned back to face Jacob. That same boyish smile lit up his face, even through the bruises that stained his skin. Slowly, I inched towards him, only stopping when the glint of a bright light caught my eye. _

_A member of the Volturi stood behind my best friend, his arms raised high, holding the curved blade of the sword in place. And slowly the blade began to fall. _

_My mouth opened in a scream. I couldn't hear the words, but I was certain that I cried out his name into the darkness. _

_And all Jacob did, in the face of death, was smile. He smiled for me. _

"_No…" I whispered, quickly turning back to Edward and desperately searching my mind for something to stop the madness that surrounded me. _

_The same curved blade was slowly falling down towards Edward's back. It shone brilliantly in the violet glow that my eyes cast upon the terrifying scene. _

_My stomach coiled. I could taste the bile as it rose up my throat, burning my mouth with its filth. My fingers curled into the dirt as the tears slipped down my face. I wanted to move. I wanted to stop this from happening. But I couldn't feel anything anymore. My body was devoid of any sensation as I watched my love stare at me with glistening eyes._

_He could stop this. His instincts would kick in. I knew they would. _

_They had to… _

_But as I watched the blade inch closer and closer to his skin, I knew he would prove me wrong. _

_Edward. My Edward… was going to die._

"_Edward…" I pleaded, my voice breaking as a sob escaped my lips. "N-No… don't…" My jaws clenched painfully as the warmth of my tears cascaded over my pale flesh._

_One corner of his mouth lifted into a smile. _

_My crooked smile. _

"_It's okay, Bella," he murmured, never taking his eyes away from mine. I felt myself trapped by an invisible force as I quickly looked between he and Jacob. Verrin's words echoed through my mind, "You need to save them…" _

_And yet I couldn't. I could only watch their deaths unfold before my eyes. What was going on? Why was this happening?_

_I was going to wake up any moment. I _had_ to. _

"_Wake up, Bella," I whispered, watching Jacob grimace as he tried to wink at me. I turned back to Edward, feeling my heart being shred painfully within my chest. "Wake up." _

_Edward continued to watch me. He breathed in a mouthful of air, relishing in what I knew was my scent. And with a broken, dissonant voice, he spoke his final words before the blade sliced through his granite like skin. "It'll be okay." _

"No!"

A loud resounding scream filled my room as I shot up from the nightmare. Sweat clung to my body. The bed sheets were twisted around my legs. I felt claustrophobic in my small bed. The fabric of the sheets itched, irritating my already hot skin. Instantly, I shot out my hands, gripping the soft cotton material and prying it from my legs. I grunted with the effort of pulling the cloth contraption, gripping and tugging until I found myself falling off of the bed. My body slammed against the wooden floor with a loud thud.

It was then that the damn broke free. My vision clouded with crystal liquid, momentarily blinding me from my surroundings. I felt the heat flow over my skin. I tasted the salt on my tongue.

My side ached from the bruise that was surely forming, but I couldn't find it in me to care.

"Bella!"

I looked up suddenly as Renee burst through the bedroom door, her eyes wild as she ran towards me. Phil stood in the doorway, running a hand tiredly through his hair. "Is she okay?" he asked sleepily.

Renee knelt down before me, frantically brushing stands of my hair away from my forehead. "Oh baby, what happened?" she cooed, pulling me into her arms.

I couldn't speak. I couldn't even form a coherent thought as I felt her embrace wrap around me tightly. My body gave in. The tears increased in their fury and I felt myself shake violently with the sobs that issued from my lips.

Sometime between my mother's coddling and soft whispers in my ear, Phil had retreated back to the bedroom where I'm sure he slept peacefully.

And I envied him for not having to endure the nightmares that plagued my mind each night. I envied Renee for the same reason, and Charlie.

But most importantly, I envied _him_. He, who could not fall asleep. Edward in all his glory was never plagued by the dreams that tormented my mind. A stab of guilt consumed me as I remembered the pitiful expression that masked his features from the nightmare. How could I think of him in a negative way now?

After a while, my tears had ceased and my sobs had turned into quiet sniffles. Still, Renee held me, leaning up against the side of my bed. I felt her stiffen minutely around me as she spoke my name.

"Bella?"

Slowly, I turned my body to look up into her sparkling gaze.

"Did you leave the window open, honey?"

Furrowing my brow, I pushed myself up to look at the opened window beside of my bed. The cool night breeze blew in softly, feathering through my hair. "No," I murmured. "It was closed when I went to bed."

"Huh…" she sighed, staring at it curiously. "Maybe there was a strong wind."

I wanted to roll my eyes at her ridiculous comment, but found that I didn't have the strength to do so.

"That's interesting," she muttered, reaching over our laps to pick up an object from the floor. "Who gave you this?"

A small silver chain dangled from her fingers. Pursing my lips, I stared at the necklace, narrowing my eyes at the pendant, which hung from the chain.

"It's a very… uh… interesting design," Renee commented warily.

A silver serpent wound its way up the body of a flaming torch, its mouth opened, as if hissing towards the flames. I held out my hand as she released the necklace into my palm.

"I've never seen this before," I whispered, fingering the soft metal of the snake's body.

Renee simply hummed in response and gently scooted out from under me. "Well, let's get this window closed so that you can go back to bed."

I allowed her to mother me a bit more as I placed the strange necklace on the bedside table. She unwrapped the sheets, placing them over me and kissed my head softly. "If you need me, come get me."

I could only nod as I watched her retreating form leave my room. And as soon as she shut the door, I scrambled to my laptop, eager to e-mail Jacob. For now, the necklace would have to wait. I needed to make sure my best friend was okay.

My leg bounced nervously as I waited for the computer to light up the room. The glow was blinding, but my eyes quickly adjusted as I typed a short, small message to Jacob.

_Jake,_

_Sorry I haven't responded to you in a while. I've just been busy with school._

I bit my lip, knowing that it was a lie but also knowing that he'd never know. _Yes he would, Bella._

Sighing, I continued.

_Let me know how you're doing, Jake. Please._

_Bella _

It was short and simple. To the point as far as I was concerned, so I sent it without further delay.

I ran my fingers through my hair anxiously as I closed my eyes, trying to block the images of Edward's broken body from my mind. How would I ever know if he was okay?

Frustrated, I bit down on my lip and turned towards the necklace that now lay against the smooth surface of the small table. How had it come to my room? On my floor? And why had my window been opened? I never opened my window anymore. Not after…

I swallowed hard, trying to erase the memories of cold arms wrapped tightly around my waist as I peacefully slept.

Still… I needed to know more about this necklace. Pursing my lips in deep thought, I turned back to the laptop and opened up a search engine. Maybe if I typed in the description of the necklace it would lead me to something. Anything.

I sighed in disappointment as a dozen links to jewelry sites popped up on the screen. Maybe if I tried to figure out the meanings of the individual designs themselves…

Straightening up in my seat, I began typing diligently, searching through myths and legends of different cultures – some I had been aware of and others that I hadn't. Another hour passed by and I found my eyes burning with the will to stay open. I was about to give up on my search when one link caught my eye – a website on the goddess Hekate.

"Hekate," I murmured, knowing from previous literature that I had seen this name before. In fact, I was fairly certain she was a symbol for witchcraft. But what caught my attention was the brief description beneath the link. It mentioned symbols of Hekate and two of those symbols were a torch and a snake. I felt my heart race as I moved the mouse to hover over the link.

The sound of a door opening from the hallway caught my attention. I quickly closed my computer and rushed to my bed, throwing the blankets over my body as I pretended to sleep. Sure enough, I heard the soft creak of my bedroom door open and I could just picture my mother peering in to see if I was over my mental breakdown from earlier.

And as she shut the door, I decided that my quest for the meaning of the necklace would have to wait until the morning.

~*~*~*~

It was Saturday. Which meant that I would usually hole myself up in my room for the entire day, either working on homework or reading my torn copy of Wuthering Heights. But as I walked into the kitchen, seeing Renee sitting at the table with her usual cup of coffee, I realized that today wasn't like my usual Saturday at all.

"Hey mom, can I borrow your car?"

I watched in slight amusement as she stared up at me with wide, unblinking eyes. "Um, sure. Where are you going?" she asked, trying to resume her normal routine without sounding so surprised.

"The library."

She took a sip of her coffee and nodded once. "Oh. Well that's fine, baby. The keys are by my purse on the counter."

Walking briskly over to where her black leather purse sat, I snatched up the keys, made sure I had my license and grabbed my own purse as I hurried to the door. "I'll be back before dinner, mom."

I barely heard her muffled "alright" as I closed the door behind me and stepped out into another sunny day.

The breeze was warm as I drove to the library. I could feel the small weight of the necklace against my thigh as it sat snugly in my pocket. How it managed to get into my room last night, I will never know, but I was going to find out anything I could about this thing without being interrupted.

It was still fairly early when I parked the car and therefore, the parking lot was pretty empty with the exception of a few cars here and there. Probably all employee vehicles.

As I walked towards the front door, I noticed the dark silhouette of a lone figure standing far off at the other end of the building. I stopped, sensing that this figure seemed vaguely familiar to me. Dark wisps of hair blew out into the wind and a strange violet glow peered back at me. I knew it wasn't Verrin due to the mere physical appearance of the figure, but I was positive that it was one of her brothers. And judging by the length of his hair, I was going to guess that it was Damian.

I took a step closer, curious as to why he was watching me. It was my mistake though, because I blinked as the sun came directly into my view and as soon as I raised my hand to block the obscene light, he was gone.

I quickly spun around, searching the parking lot, but saw no one. Already feeling uneasy about the whole idea, I immediately turned back towards the front entrance and walked in.

The smell of old books greeted my senses, making me relax minutely as I made my way into the vastness of the library.

First things first, I needed to find a secluded area to research. And that definitely didn't pose a problem as I seated myself in my usual corner way in the back. Now, I just had to figure out where to begin my research.

Sighing, I dropped my stuff down in the worn, leather seat and began my quest - which happened to start off with a computer. A single desktop stood at the end of a bookshelf only a few rows away from me.

It didn't take long for me to find the link from last night, only this time, no one was going to stop me from clicking it. As the site loaded, various pictures of Hekate began to materialize – most were paintings on old Greek pottery. I skimmed through all the text, scrolling down the page until I came across a small section devoted to the symbols of Hekate. I found myself lean impossibly close to the computer screen as I read the meanings for the torch and snake.

"Torches symbolize guides," I murmured aloud. "And snakes symbolize guardians and the…" I swallowed nervously as my eyes narrowed in on the word, "underworld."

The information both shocked and confused me. Hekate wasn't only just a symbol for witchcraft, but of… other _things_.

Sighing, I moved to exit out of the browser when another word caught my attention. I stared at the screen, frozen for a few moments as I took in the meaning. Owls were also symbols of Hekate and they meant…

"Prophecies," I whispered.

My eyes widened considerably as Verrin's words from my nightmare flashed through my mind. _"You have to fulfill the prophecy, Bella."_

A loud thud startled me out of my daze as I quickly snapped my head towards the direction of the noise. Movement came from behind one of the shelves and the distinct sound of whispering filled the air. Whispers of two people arguing.

_To listen in or not to listen in?_ I bit down on my lip, contemplating what I was about to do. Quickly, I closed the internet browser and walked silently towards the bookshelf that stood only a row away from the noise.

I blindly reached for a book and pretended to flip through it while peering through the stacks to catch a glimpse of the bodies that housed the hushed tones. My heart quickened beneath my chest as I recognized the two beings to be Alex and Damian Rigas.

So, Damian hadn't left the library earlier. How had I not seen either of them when I walked in? Shaking my head, I decided that I would worry about that later and focus on what they were saying now. So, I propped the book open in my hand… and listened.

"Damian, we do not need to go talk to her," Alex hissed. "You heard what Catherine said. We don't even know if she's the one."

"She has to be, Alex. The one who claims the heart of both a werewolf and a vampire? She's it! Verrin even believes so," Damian argued, his voice rising ever so slightly. "Bella Swan is the key to the prophecy."

Alex shook his head, crossing his arms defiantly. "We still don't know."

"Yes we do!" Damian spat, instantly looking around him to make sure no one heard his outburst. He immediately grabbed a white notepad and pointed a pale finger to its print.

It was then that I noticed a pendant dangling from the silver chain that hung around his neck. A serpent winding its way up the body of a torch.

My hands shook as I gasped loudly, almost missing the end of their argument.

"Right here, Alex!" Damian hissed, pointing again to the notepad. "Here are the names of the werewolf and vampire who love her. Jacob Black and Edward Cullen."

-

-

**A/N #2**: Alright, don't worry about the Hekate thing. I'm not going to turn this into Mythology 101 on you guys. ;) (Although I do like mythology so you'll probably see a bit more of that thrown in here). But, Hekate (and yes, it's also spelled Hecate) is a reference for some other things that you'll find out about later. What can I say? I try to keep the mystery alive.

Some of you have been trying to figure out just who or what the Rigas family are. Well, I can honestly say that no, they are not witches. That's it. That's all I'm saying on that. ;)

Again, I have to thank you all so much for the reviews. I honestly wasn't expecting much when I first decided to post this story, but you all really seem to enjoy it and that makes me extremely happy :) So, thank you very very much!


	6. Ch 5: Trapped

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing in this story except for my own little plot line and any characters you may not recognize. Everything else is property of the genius Stephenie Meyer.

**A/N**: Wow, thank you so much for the reviews everyone! You all really make my day when you comment :D

Before you read, I need to point out a small little thing... keep in mind that no matter what Damian said at the end of Chapter 4 (or what's repeated at the beginning of this chapter) Bella does not know that Jacob is a werewolf. Mkay? Mkay.

Oh and this has both Bella and Edward POVs in it. ;) Enjoy folks!

-

-

**Bella's POV**:

"Right here, Alex!" Damian hissed, pointing again to the notepad. "Here are the names of the werewolf and vampire who love her. Jacob Black and Edward Cullen."

The book fell from my hands, clattering to the ground. I stared at the shelf before me. Stunned. Flashes of the nightmare crossed my mind. I could see Edward's pained face. The bruises on Jacob's skin. Silver blades slicing through the air. _"You have to save them, Bella." _Edward's smile as he was about to die. _"You have to fulfill the prophecy." _

The room began to spin. I felt myself stumble backwards, feet falling over each other. And even as my back hit the shelf behind me, I still felt no release from the vertigo I seemed to be trapped in.

"Bella?"

I blinked. Once. Twice.

"Bella, are you okay?"

Slowly, I turned my head to the right as my fingers clutched onto the metal shelf. There, standing at the end of the row, with her sparkling violet eyes and musical voice, was Verrin.

My breathing was heavier now as my vision began to clear. Immediately, I looked ahead of me to where Verrin's brothers had been. And to my horror, both Alex and Damian were staring straight at me – their violet eyes raging in anger over the tops of the books.

I felt the room begin to slip from my sight as darkness leaked into the corners of my eyes.

"Bella!"

Hands. I could feel their pressure on my arms, gently shaking me awake.

"Bella, wake up."

Again the sight before me was a blur. I could see the face. I knew who it was. And still, I only saw a pixie haired girl leaning over me, her tawny eyes filled with worry, her small lips pursed.

"Alice…" I whispered.

She frowned at me, no doubt wondering if I was even in my right mind. "Who?"

I blinked. Yes, that seemed to help clear things up a bit. Tawny eyes turned to violet. I blinked again and the pixie hair turned to long, flowing waves. "Verrin?"

She grinned this time and proceeded to sit me up against the shelf. I looked around me, hardly remembering that I fell. "Did I… pass out?"

Verrin nodded quietly as she knelt before me. "Are you sick or something?" she questioned, her eyes still full of concern. "Do you need me to get you anything? Water? Food even?"

"Shh!" The two of us turned suddenly to a librarian who had just passed by our row, clearly agitated and not even the slightest bit bothered that I was on the floor.

Verrin merely rolled her eyes and turned back to me. "What made you pass out? Do you know?"

I gulped, not able to meet her gaze as I began wringing my hands nervously. Damian's voice rang loud and clear in my head. _"Bella Swan is the key to the prophecy." _Yeah… I knew.

"Um… Verrin, do you think you could help me up? I think I'm going to just go on home."

She eyed me warily, quirking an eyebrow and reaching out to me hesitantly. "I don't know, Bella. You don't seem like you're fit to drive. Do you want me to take you home?"

"No!" I blurt out, instantly regretting it as Verrin's eyes widened to the sound of my voice. "I mean… no, don't trouble yourself. I just appreciate the fact that you were here to get me." I did my best to smile at her all while trying to push myself up from the floor.

Verrin's hands slid beneath my arms as she helped me. "Well, if you're sure, Bella."

"Little sis, what's this? Is our friend here alright?"

That voice. It made my heart plummet below my stomach. Sweat began to permeate my skin and my hands started to get clammy. I couldn't even lift my eyes to meet those of Alex Rigas.

"I think so," Verrin responded, still clutching onto me tightly. How I wished she wouldn't. "Bella just seemed to have a bit of a dizzy spell."

I did my best to hide the increased rate of my breathing. My eyes searched the floor frantically as if it would open up and swallow me whole, allowing me to forgo this torment.

"Are you alright?"

Another voice. This one was soft, sweet, and the strangest hint of an accent coated its sultry tone.

My eyes betrayed me as I found myself staring into a familiar vibrant gaze. A small smile played at his lips and yet he seemed genuinely concerned as he walked closer to me. "I'm Damian. Do you remember me from the other day?"

I nodded, entranced by his beauty. The strangest feeling of calm washed over me and I idly wondered if Jasper wasn't hiding around here somewhere.

He watched me with a quizzical brow, taking a step closer. "Are you sure you're alright?"

His hand touched my arm. It was like an electrical bolt had shot through my body. I gasped at the feeling, horrified as a vision of myself, crouched over a lifeless body flashed through my mind. My eyes were pitch black – two wells of never-ending darkness. My lips were a bright crimson, my skin as fair as winter snow. It was then that I noticed the body below me. His eyes were open – red. The body of a Volturi guard.

"Stop it!" Verrin hissed, smacking Damian's hand away from my arm. I was gasping for air now as my hands reached out to the bookshelf; steadying my trembling legs.

Damian's gaze was bright. Glistening. The smile on his face was hardly one of kindness. "Did you feel it?" he whispered, the slightest hint of excitement in his voice. "Tell me you felt it."

Two shaky breaths escaped my parted lips before I could even speak a single word. "I… I'm sorry. I need to go."

Immediately, I spun around and practically ran to the back table where my purse still sat. I needed to get out of this library. Now. It was a mistake to come here.

"Bella, wait!" Verrin called, ignoring the narrowed looks coming from the agitated librarian. "I can explain," she huffed, finally stopping by my table.

I shook my head furiously, snatching up my purse and turning to face her. "Really? You can _explain_?"

By this time, Alex and Damian had walked up behind their sister, both of their eyes directly on me.

"Can you explain the nightmares that I've been having?" I spat, feeling my body shake with anger and my cheeks pool with blood. "Can you explain why your notebooks are full of symbols and codes? Why you," I hissed, turning my gaze to her brothers, "are researching Volterra?"

I could feel the tears accumulate behind my eyes but I refused to let them fall. "Or why you have such an interest in Edward Cullen and Jacob Black? And since when was Jake a werewolf?" My voice shook vehemently as my fists clenched by my sides. And suddenly, I realized that I didn't want to have anything to do with the family standing before me. I dug into the pocket of my jeans, pulling out the necklace that was now fisted tightly in my hand. "I don't know who you are, but if you're willing to explain anything to me, then why don't you explain this!" I threw the necklace at Verrin, watching as she caught it before it hit her face. Her eyes widened as she stared down at the familiar pendant.

"You don't know me," I fumed, my voice unusually low. She slowly looked back up at me and I made sure to meet each of their violet gazes as I spoke my last words, my voice seething through gritted teeth. "Leave me the hell alone."

The breeze swept past my hair as I spun on my heel and quickly left the library, not even stopping when Mrs. Fitch called out to me from the front desk.

Tears had clouded my vision as I made my way through the front doors. It took every ounce of my energy to will each foot to just take one more step. "Edward," I whimpered, tasting the salt of my tears. "I wish you were here."

~*~*~*~

**Edward's POV**:

Volterra. How I loathed the people that roamed this tainted land. The seven of us crossed through the plaza, safe under the cover of the ominous clouds above us. A square fountain sat in the middle, the sound of its cascading water somewhat soothing as we made our way into the shadows.

_Too many of them._

I shifted my gaze to Jasper. His eyes were alert, frantically moving around the small crowds of humans who loitered about in the plaza. He gripped Alice's hand tightly as she did her best to silently soothe him.

_How's Jasper, Edward?_

I caught Carlisle and Emmett's attention, nodding towards the other male member of our family. And just like that, the five us circled in around Jasper and Alice.

Esme turned her head minutely to look back towards her son. She smiled at him, momentarily putting Jasper at ease.

"Heads up," Emmett murmured as we neared a narrow alleyway. I could hear their thoughts before Emmett even alerted us to the presence of two Volturi guards. The clock tower stood to the left of the alley. It struck the beginning sound of the hour, its chime echoing around us until the ground under our feet shook.

"I think we're going to be here for a while," Alice whispered, her words ushered in such a speed that vampire ears could have easily missed them. Instantly, I saw what was in her mind – Aro regaling us with a battle that was fought between the guard and a pack of wolves. I could tell that Caius was included in the fight, but there was something else that I didn't quite understand. It made me feel unnaturally ill.

"Felix, it's good to see you again," Carlisle greeted as we all passed the invisible line from the human world into the world of our kind.

Felix nodded curtly, acknowledging our family. His red eyes glowed brilliantly, shining like rubies – as bright as the crimson blood that he fed on. "Carlisle," he stated, his voice icy as his eyes appraised the seven of us. "Aro has been expecting you."

"Yes, he'll be so pleased to see that all of you could make it here," another voice uttered.

Carlisle nodded towards the other guard. "Demetri, it's a pleasure."

"Likewise," he hissed, extending his hand towards the alley. "Please, let us not keep our master waiting."

The tension in the air sparked, igniting like a match, just waiting to explode. I trained my energy on their thoughts as we followed them deep into the darkness and into the tunnels that lead under the city.

The air was foul. The stone walls seeped black liquid, crying the tears of the damned. Still, I kept alert, sticking as close to my family as possible.

I focused in on Felix's mind, startled at how silent it was. The slightest feeling of panic crept through my body, but I pushed it aside and focused on Demetri instead.

"_nam et si ambulavero in medio umbrae mortis non timebo mala quoniam tu mecum es virga tua et baculus tuus ipsa me consolata sunt."_

My eyes widened infinitesimally. _Yea though I walk through the valley of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me. _

Demetri was blocking me off by reciting verses from Psalms in Latin. By reflex, my hand shot out to Alice's arm, gripping her cool skin. The slight hysteria in my voice didn't go unnoticed by her. "What is he hiding from me?" I hissed, never taking my eyes off of Demetri's back.

Alice let her gaze grow distant as she studied the floor. And I turned to her, watching her intensely, noticing how the pallor of her skin grew a shade whiter. Her eyes held the hint of fear as she looked up at me, whispering quickly in the shadows. "I don't know. I can't see them."

My family drew closer together then. I could feel their bodies pressed against me as mine was pressed against theirs.

This was wrong. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew we shouldn't be here. And yet we followed them; the lamb moving towards the lion, the cobra hypnotized by the charmer, the prey falling into the predator's trap.

Darkness seemed to enclose us. We were by no means afraid of many things, but for the first time in my existence, I felt the panic emanating from each being touching my body. We were marbled statues. Are skin was ice cold to the touch. We had no souls, or so I believed. Are teeth were designed to shred through muscle and bone. Our eyes entranced our prey. Our appearance could seduce any living creature to follow us into the shadows. We were immortal. We were powerful. Vampires that thrived during the night. Fear wasn't supposed to be in our vocabulary.

And yet for a split second, I wondered if we would make it out of Volterra alive.

_Edward could you tone down the manic-depressive? It's unnerving. _

My eyes slid to Jasper as he flanked Alice's side. He briefly glanced to me before focusing his attention ahead.

I felt Rosalie stiffen behind me. The slightest hint of her growl echoed in my left ear. I looked ahead, noticing the small form of a boy standing at the end of the tunnel.

Alec.

_So that's why I can't see anything_, Alice thought, her jaw setting firmly.

"Greetings dear friends," Alec welcomed, his voice sickly sweet. "I trust you all are well?" His smile made every fiber in my being twitch. The vibrant red that surrounded each tiny pupil glowed like embers in the dark. How I despised his ability to take away our powers, for we were blind without them.

"We are, thank you," Carlisle responded, smiling as warmly as he could to the vampiric child. "As we hope you are well too."

"Very," he chirped, his smile widening even further. "Jane and I have been looking forward to seeing you again, especially _all _of you."

We stiffened as a unit, like the heart contracts with each swell of blood.

"Really?" Carlisle questioned.

Alec nodded. "Of course, dear Carlisle. How long has it been since we've all been in the same room together? Fifty years perhaps?"

I couldn't stand the small talk anymore. By now my ability had been completely shut off due to Jane's little twin and the verge of chaos crept over me at a faster pace. Alice snuck her hand into mine, squeezing it lightly. And I squeezed back, thankful for her presence, for in that moment I wished that Bella were at my side. Never would I want her to experience this monstrosity of our world, but I craved her comfort more so now than ever.

After snaking our way through more corridors and tunnels, we finally entered a large oval room. Thin slits of windows near the ceiling allowed the stray beams of sunlight to filter through to the stone floor. And every now and then, a cloud would pass by, coating everything in darkness.

We spaced out a little more as we entered the room, our eyes cautious and alert. Each couple in our family stood closer together. Carlisle's hand sought Esme's. Jasper's sought Alice's. Emmett's sought Rosalie's.

And I… held nothing.

Several small groups of vampires chattered quietly to each other in their respective corners of the room, with the exception of one lone figure who sat in a throne-like chair before us. His long silver robes cascaded in waves over the stone floor. The clouded, opaque red eyes watched us with excitement.

"Why my dear Carlisle," Aro greeted, swiftly standing from his seat. "What a pleasure to see you again. I am so happy that you received my letter."

A flash of red streaked through the background. I stilled, my eyes widening as Victoria grinned back at me.

"And Esme, my child," he crooned. "You're just as lovely as ever."

Esme smiled uneasily and bowed her head in acknowledgement. I could practically feel the animosity radiating off of Carlisle as he held onto Esme tightly.

Aro glided towards Carlisle, extending his hand. We all watched, frozen in our posture – statues that would never move. Carlisle hesitantly took Aro's hand with a smile and I knew then that Aro was reading his mind.

His milky eyes stared off for the briefest of moments until a large, feral smile graced his translucent skin. "Of course," he whispered, now turning his gaze to me. I tensed.

"Dear Edward, you fell in love with a human?"

Whispers echoed around the room as I stared into the eyes of the ancient vampire before me. My heart dropped and I only barely registered Carlisle's look of defeat.

"Bella Swan, am I correct? How very exciting indeed," Aro continued, floating back towards his chair. My fists clenched and unclenched at my sides. "I do remember now, that Victoria told me a bit about this girl." The grin on his face never ceased as he sat gracefully onto his wooden throne and I knew then that this was simply a charade. Aro knew far more than I liked. "She must be exceptional, Edward. I do hope that the next time you all visit that you bring her along as well."

A snarl ripped through my lips and I was powerless to stop it.

"Now, now," he chided. "Let's not be that way my friend. Manners first, right?"

Esme reached behind me, slipping her hand into mine. I couldn't take comfort in it. My sanity was threatening to break.

"My brothers would be so happy to see you but as it is, they are away regarding other business." He seemed bored as he sighed, rotating his ghostly hand in a blindingly fast motion. "Which is why I asked you all to come here."

Alice and I exchanged a glance, readying ourselves for this story. For we already knew part of it.

"You see, a small group of us set out to Siberia in order to meet with a wolf leader. We were attempting to negotiate a pact with them to stop the fighting and keep a peaceful relationship. I have to commend my wonderful brother for his chivalrous act, for as you all know, he has a great fear of werewolves."

Emmett rolled his eyes and I saw the corner of his mouth twitch into a grin.

"However," Aro continued. "The wolves would not listen to us. They attacked the group, including poor Caius. We lost two guards that day and we are absolutely certain that they are planning to attack us. Not just the Volturi, but vampires as a whole."

"Pardon me, Aro," Carlisle interrupted. "I thought Caius was trying to send the wolves into extinction? Why are they such a threat to us now?"

Aro narrowed his eyes to the man who I respected most in the world and smiled cunningly, exposing the sharp teeth behind the onion skin. "I wish that things were different, dear friend, but I am obligated to tell you that their numbers have grown over the past several years. A war between our kind would be deadly at the very least."

Jasper eyed Aro warily, obviously not buying into this elaborate story, much like myself. There were too many things left unexplained. "So are you asking us to join you?"

The milky eyes lit up with excitement at the new voice and I felt Alice tense beside of me. "Why yes, Jasper I am. How clever you are. But don't worry, I'm not asking you all to join the Volturi, however that option is still left open for dear Alice and Edward, but I am asking you to join the army we have gathered."

"You lie," I breathed, locking my eyes with his. "I don't see an army other than the vampires who fill this room."

A small giggle echoed from behind me and it was then that I picked up on Jane's small frame. It surprised me how quiet she had been during our stay.

"Oh Edward, why must you be so quick to judge," she scolded, her ruby eyes anything but teasing. "Really, I thought you were better than that."

I could feel the muscles in my body tightening as I imagined my hands ripping her sweet little head off.

"Jane, my pet, how keen of you," Aro commended. "Edward, I can't help but notice how lonely you are. Seeing you here amongst the couples in your family… well, it makes me sad for you."

Slowly, I turned my gaze back to the black haired demon, wondering just what he was getting at.

He suddenly clapped his hands and called out a name that made the blood boil within my veins. "Victoria, my sweet, would you be a dear and fetch Isabella Swan? I'm sure Edward would feel much better in her presence."

Victoria moved swiftly from the room but I was before her within seconds, my hand gripping her throat. "I don't think so." The fury that raged through me blinded my vision with a bright red haze.

Members of the guard encircled us, preparing to attack if necessary. Victoria merely smiled wickedly at me, almost as if enjoying the pressure I enforced around her neck. She flashed her teeth, her eyes dancing with amusement, and I wanted nothing more than to rip them from her skull.

"Edward," Carlisle hissed, moving to me in a blur, his hand gripped my arm. "Son, let her go. You know she's not allowed to hurt Bella."

"Carlisle," I rasped, my entire body quivering. "Tell me not to worry. Tell me to release a vampire who tried to kill Bella only a few months ago just so she can go after her again." I could feel the venom pooling in my mouth as my eyes burned into Victoria's gaze.

"Edward," Carlisle murmured once more.

"Tell me!" I shouted, squeezing the neck in my grasp until Victoria began to growl. I barely registered that Aro was standing beside of Carlisle now.

"Edward, you know that I wouldn't let any member harm Isabella. I would know if Victoria hurt her. And she knows that she would pay deeply for that crime."

Victoria tensed, her red eyes flickering to Aro for the briefest of moments.

"Come, my friend. Let my messenger go and I will show you all just why you are here."

I was gasping for unnecessary air, doing my best to calm myself before I ripped her throat apart in my bare hand.

"It'll be okay, Edward," Alice called to me. I turned to her, noticing the sparkle in her eyes. How would she know? Alec was blocking us from using our powers.

_It'll be okay. She won't hurt Bella. _

I blinked. The shock of hearing Alice's thoughts caused me to release my hold on Victoria's neck. It was the chance that she took to her advantage and she raced past me before I could go after her again, leaving only a trail of vibrant red in her wake.

I stared at Alice in confusion. I felt betrayed. Hurt. Not by her, but by a force I could not fight. The Volturi were manipulating us and I hated it. They used us as puppets - playing with us and our emotions whenever they wanted. I hated that they had so much power over me, but most importantly, I hated having _my_ power taken away. I narrowed my eyes at the small boy standing beside of his twin sister.

Aro smiled pleasantly, seemingly amused about the situation that had just unfolded. "Follow me dear ones. Let me show you the army that we've assembled."

Jasper was at my side in an instant, sending wave after wave of calm over me. I clung to his arm tightly, not even feeling the strength to make it any further. The ill feeling in my stomach would never cease. Not after I let Victoria escape. Not after I knew Bella was in danger and I could do nothing to save her.

_Stay with us, Edward. It's going to be okay_, Jasper pleaded, worry lacing his thoughts.

Emmett moved to my other side, his body tense. _Be cool, little bro. Bella will be fine._ But I was sure even he was a little uncertain on that notion.

We followed Aro through a large wooden door that led to another dark tunnel. Carlisle swiftly moved ahead of us to converse with the Volturi leader as we continued our trek further under the city.

Again we passed through another door but instead of turning into another tunnel, I found us entering an even larger room than the crypt we had been in earlier. This resembled a large stadium, with rows of seating climbing the walls of the earth. Candles provided the only light, casting flickering glows throughout the cavernous space. And within this chamber, hundreds of vampires sat, all talking amongst themselves.

The voices in my head crescendoed to a new level, piercing my brain with its intensity. I staggered forward, thankful that Jasper and Emmett were ready to steady me.

"My friends," Aro called out warmly, outstretching his arms in welcome. The room was immediately silenced. "I'd like you to meet our newest guests." He then gestured towards my family, baring his teeth as he smiled sweetly. "The Cullens."

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**A/N #2**: Phew! Edward's POV was a lot to figure out but I had an insanely good time writing it ;) And just because you are so awesome, the next chapter will reveal the Rigas family, the prophecy.... EVERYTHING. Okay, well maybe not everything, but MOST of everything. Also that Latin translation was something I totally googled. If someone knows latin and can tell me if that's correct, that'd be amazing.

Again, thank you so much for the reviews and I hope you all continue to enjoy this story :)


	7. Ch 6: The Truth Is Never Easy

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing in this story except for my own little plot line and any characters you may not recognize. Everything else is property of the genius Stephenie Meyer.

**A/N**: Sorry for the long wait. I hope everyone had a great holiday and a happy new year! :D Thank you all so much for the reviews! You guys are pretty awesome ;)

So, with that said, here's the long awaited update. There are still some things left to be explained, but I tried to give you more answers in this one. Also, I made a new video for this story and you can find the link to it in my profile :)

Enjoy!

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**Bella's POV**:

The house was quiet upon my return home. Renee had scribbled down a note that now sat idly on the kitchen counter, informing me that she and Phil would be out with the team for a celebratory dinner on their latest win. Which technically meant that they would be staying at a hotel for the night because they would be too trashed to drive home.

I sighed and made my way up the stairs to my room, instantly turning on my laptop. The events from this morning raced through my mind as I sat down on the edge of my bed heavily, burying my face in my hands. How could I have thought that returning to the library was a good idea? I was nowhere nearer to the truth than I was yesterday or three days ago. And the one piece of evidence that I had to help me – the necklace – was now gone. What had I been thinking?

"_Bella, wait! I can explain."_ Verrin had seemed so sincere when she chased after me in the library. I could still see her violet eyes pleading with me and it disgusted me that I had allowed myself to be her friend. Sure, I didn't know much about her or her family but I felt betrayed somehow. I felt like I had lost my best friend for the second time.

All I could see when it came to Verrin… was Alice.

I felt a lone tear trickle down my cheek.

"_That's everything. I suppose. We won't bother you again."_

"_Alice isn't coming back."_

"_No. They're all gone. I stayed behind to tell you goodbye."_

Edward's voice filled my mind, his tawny eyes embedded their intensity into my being, burning my soul whenever I thought of him.

And everyday without him… I wanted to die.

Finally, I lifted my face from the confines of my pasty hands and looked over to the awaiting computer screen. I quickly moved towards the desk, sitting down and hurriedly checking my email. After everything that had happened, I longed to hear from Jacob. But when I didn't receive any new mail, my heart fell. I knew that it was difficult for Jake to get to a computer, but he always went to the library to check his email on the weekends. The fact that I hadn't received anything from him bothered me, but as I turned my attention to the bookshelf that sat near my window, all thoughts of Jake immediately fled my mind.

A small brown, leather book sat on the floor just at the foot of the antique shelving unit. I pursed my lips as I studied the handmade, slightly torn article that littered my otherwise spotless floor. It certainly wasn't a part of my collection, let alone anything that I had ever seen before.

Slowly, I stood up and walked towards it. My hands shook. I could feel my heart lurching up into my throat.

"For heaven sakes, Bella," I hissed to myself. "It's just a book!" How idiotic I must have seemed, preparing for the thing to fly open and attack me.

I rolled my eyes at my paranoia and picked up the discarded object. It smelled of must as my fingers roved over the tapered binding of the book. Where had it come from? And more specifically, _who_ had brought it here? My mind flashed back to the night when Renee found the necklace in my room. And as I opened the hard cover and turned to the first page, I realized that this wasn't a book at all.

It was a journal.

_13, September 1692_

__

_Thy Goddess Hekate, who walks the shadows of the night. _

_Give me thy strength, thy will and thy power to carry on. _

_For I am weak. I am broken._

_Oh Goddess Hekate, who am I? _

_Thy brothers grow weary with thy complaints. I am the new one. _

_The chosen one. _

_And I can not see thy path. _

_Divine Goddess of the night, I call upon thee to help thy immortal soul._

_For I grow tired without your strength._

Confused wasn't even close to how I felt in that moment. I looked up from the tattered, tea-stained page – brows furrowed. _What in the hell was I reading?_

But it made sense… didn't it? Hadn't I been looking up symbols for Hekate earlier? A chill ran through my spine. Someone knew what I was researching. Whoever it was meant for me to see this, just like they _meant_ for me to see the necklace.

I flipped through the next few pages, searching for anything that would help me to identify this anonymous being.

_15, January 1694_

_Thy brother is not well with thy leader. _

_Gabriel is such a demanding presence. Strong. Powerful. _

_He seeks the truth behind the masks of shadows. _

_Damian just can not see._

I gasped loudly, dropping the book in my hands. _Damian?_ Flashes of the dark haired, beautiful man assaulted my mind. And with that, came the visions of my nightmarish self that he bestowed upon me earlier that day.

I shivered.

My eyes grew wide as realization finally dawned on me. _Brother. Damian. "Bella, wait! I can explain." _

This was Verrin's diary.

So I had been right about Verrin being something other than human after all. I sighed heavily and gazed out of the bedroom window, watching the clouds roll over the sky.

Of two things I was absolutely sure of – first, Verrin Rigas was immortal and second, she was over three hundred years old.

For the next several hours, I sat on the floor of my room, reading through the journal. The wealth of history within these pages was enough to make my schoolbooks seem trivial. Verrin had lived through the Salem witch trials, the World Wars, almost every natural disaster that could be accounted for in the past three centuries and what was more interesting still, was that her brother Alex – short for Alexander – had lived through the crusades. Repeatedly, she would mention the name Gabriel, who I assumed was a leader of some kind, and he had been around far longer than any of the members of her family.

What they were exactly, I wasn't sure. The phrase _Guardiani di Trevia_ was mentioned more than once but that meant of little consequence to me. I didn't speak Italian nor did I know anyone who did. _Well… that wasn't exactly true._ My heart ripped another inch at the thought. I wondered what they were doing now… what _he_ was doing now. I imagined that they were off exploring new territories, enrolling in new schools, and all doing so without the hassle of _me_.

The night came quickly after that. I stood in front of my computer, guiding the mouse with one hand while brushing my teeth with the other. Renee had called to let me know that they would be back tomorrow.

Just as I had expected.

Again, I checked my email, and again there was nothing from Jake. I scowled at the spam mail and quickly shut the computer down.

It bothered me that I still hadn't heard anything from Jacob. He always got back with me. Although it had only been twenty-four hours since I emailed him last… Right?

"_Here are the names of the werewolf and vampire who love her. Jacob Black and Edward Cullen."_

I walked back into the bathroom and spat out the toothpaste that greedily coated the inside of my mouth. My mind flashed back to the story that Jake had told me not so long ago on the cold beaches of La Push. While I didn't think much of it then, the fact still remained that the Quileutes did descend from wolves. It shouldn't surprise me that the concept of werewolves was certainly possible… all things considered. But Jake? It was hard for me to even picture one of my best friends as something so monstrous. And it was then that I decided I was going to call him tomorrow. It was something that I didn't normally do, but I was concerned for Jake and maybe this was the only way I could make sure he was okay.

Maybe.

Resolutely, I dropped my toothbrush in its holder and shut the light off as I made my way back into the bedroom.

What I saw froze me in my tracks. The window to my room was open.

I could hear the blood pulsing in my ears. My senses heightened to a level that I was all too familiar with - fear.

Someone had been in my room. Whether they were still here, I wasn't sure. But as I reached out for the flashlight that stood on my dresser, my hand trembling in the dark, I was acutely aware that I was helpless. I couldn't fight off anyone. My family wasn't here. And apart from the intruder, I was alone.

I struggled with the flashlight as my eyes frantically searched the shadows. My hands shook violently as I fumbled for the switch. The blinding light hit me square in the face and I immediately stumbled backwards into the doorframe before shining the light around the room.

Nothing was out of place as the white glow bounced from my bed to the floor to the desk and back again. But I knew there were places for this person to hide.

My eyes flickered to the right were my closet stood, hidden behind the open bathroom door. Did I really want to look in there? No. But I had no other choice.

I quickly snatched up a shoe that lay discarded on the floor before spinning around to face the closet. _This is good, Bella. A shoe will hurt them._

I was more liable to knock myself out with it rather than the intruder.

Breath ragged, I stood before the closed closet, wondering just who I was going to find in there, while the saner part of my brain was hoping for just clothes and shoes.

I closed my eyes, breathed in deeply and raised the shoe over my head, ready to strike. "It's now or never," I whispered.

My hand shot out to the closet door, jerking it open with surprising force. The air I had been holding released in an audible whoosh as I scanned the empty area. There was nothing but my clothes hanging from the metal rail. And while that should have relieved me… that meant that whoever opened my window was still hiding.

Gripping the flashlight firmly in my hand, I walked towards the light switch on the far wall, flipping it on. Immediately, my room was covered in the light's brightness. I wasted no time in checking everywhere once again, the bathroom, the closet, even under my bed. When there was nothing left to uncover, I braced myself for what I knew I had to do next.

For the next hour, I searched the entire house.

I was so afraid to enter each room that I had to give myself a good five-minute pep talk before taking another step.

But as midnight rolled around, I realized that I was, in fact, alone in the house. I left no window or door unlocked. Each light in every room was turned on. And I made a third sweep of my room that night, as I finally got ready for bed. However, my eyes refused to shut. The light in my room never went out. And until five o'clock in the morning, I stayed huddled up in a corner of my bed, wrapped tightly in the blue comforter.

~*~*~*~

It was noon by the time my eyes opened again. I could hear the faint sound of footsteps in the hallway, creating a soft rhythm in my ears. And yet even when I knew my door was about to open, I still let out a shriek as Renee appeared in my room.

Somewhere between me jumping half a mile in my bed to twisting around in my comforter, I found myself falling over onto the floor… again.

Renee's eyes were wide as she stared down at me; hand on her hip. "Bella, why on earth are all of the lights on?"

"Uh…" I blew a stray piece of hair out of my face and clumsily tried to push myself up. "Just made me feel safer while you guys were gone, I guess."

I blushed as I sat up and tried my best to smile at my mother without yawning. "Sorry."

She merely shook her head and walked over to help me up, thankfully untangling the sheets from my body before I had the chance to damage anything else. "Well, get yourself ready and come down to get something to eat," she huffed, eagerly trying to get the blankets back onto my bed. I watched her through the cloudy film that sleep had created over my eyes. While lying was not my forte, or something I particularly enjoyed doing, somehow I felt that telling her a deranged burglar may have broken into our house last night, wasn't such a good idea. Especially when I had no proof of anyone breaking and entering at all.

"Bella?"

The sound of Renee's voice shook me out of my thoughts. She watched me with cautious eyes as she reached out to untangle the mess that was my hair. "You look terrible, baby. Are you sure you're okay?"

No.

"Yeah mom. I'm fine." I shrugged away from her and walked towards my dresser, rifling through the many pairs of pants and settling on black sweats. Elastic waist comfort couldn't have been better.

"Alright, well... I'll see you downstairs then."

I turned to watch her go. The door closed with a soft click and my eyes flickered to the closed laptop sitting on my desk. I moved towards it, hoping that I would see a message from Jacob in my inbox once I finally logged on. But there was nothing. No new messages. Not even any junk mail.

I sighed and shuffled out of the room, reluctantly settling on my original plan from last night.

And after talking with Renee and Phil and quickly eating a bowl of cereal, I dashed back up the stairs and dialed a number that I hadn't called since I moved from Forks.

A gruff voice sounded after the second ring. "Hello?"

"Uh… Billy? Hi, it's – it's Bella."

"Bells?" he asked incredulously. I could almost see his jaw dropping an inch or two. "This is a surprise. I wasn't expecting to hear from you."

"Yeah…" I sat down in the middle of my bed, nervously picking at a stray piece of thread. "Is Jacob there?"

Silence greeted me on the other line. Billy had hesitated just enough to let me know that something was wrong. "He is, but it's not doing so well. I think he's just got a touch of the flu."

"Oh," I said, hoping my voice didn't give away the uneasiness that began tingling my skin. "Is he okay?"

"Sure Bells, he'll be fine," Billy quickly responded - a little too quickly I might add. "I'll let him know that you called. It was good to hear from you, Bella."

Several things raced through my mind, ways to stop him from hanging up on me so soon. Not one of those ideas were used. Instead, I could only mutter a confused response. "Uh… sure. Thanks."

I didn't even finish my goodbye before he had hung up. The dial tone rang loudly in my ears, even after I ended the call.

"_Here are the names of the werewolf and vampire who love her. Jacob Black and Edward Cullen."_

Damian's words never left my mind, constantly plaguing my thoughts until the sun began to set on the horizon. I glanced out my window, feeling my heart crumble with each hint of darkness that blended in with the orange hues in the sky.

Twilight.

I couldn't stand the chaos that whirled through my mind, so I grabbed my headphones and lay down on my bed, determined to rid my mind of any and all thoughts. The blaring music raged in my ears, drowning out the events that occurred in the library. And amazingly enough… I fell asleep.

That night I had the nightmare again. I could see the anguish in Edward and Jacob's eyes. I could hear the scream that ripped through my mouth as the swords swung down behind them. But this time, I saw the blades slice through their skin.

~*~*~*~

Rain danced over the ground as I hurriedly made my way to school. The sky grew dark and ominous with each passing minute and I couldn't be more thankful when I finally pushed my way through the main doors and into the busying sounds of the student body.

I was nervous. Anxious. My foot wouldn't stop bobbing up and down beneath my desk during class. I couldn't stop biting my nails or fiddling with the split ends of my hair, because today I knew what I had to do. In spite of what I had said to Verrin and her brothers in my fury, seeing her today was inevitable.

And just like I had expected, Verrin Rigas sat at the small table where we usually ate. Her slim frame seemed relaxed, despite the frown that shaped her thin lips. I sat down casually, my eyes never leaving her violet orbs as she watched my every move. For nearly five minutes we stayed that way, silently trying to make out what the other was thinking. Without breaking her gaze, I reached down into my bag and retrieved the old diary. The book made a loud slapping noise as I dropped it in front of her, causing several heads to turn in our direction. I crossed my arms over the table and leaned in, not bothering to pay attention to the other students' curious stares.

"I believe this is yours."

Her expression was one of casual indifference, never wavering even after my attempt at behaving tough. I began to grow nervous as she reached out a pale, thin hand and gently grasped the journal within her fingers.

"Took you long enough to figure it out," she chided. I watched in amazement as a small grin cracked across her elfin face. Had she known that I would find the diary and that I would confront her about it?

Without thinking, I blurted out the first words that came to my mind. "Are you sure you're not Alice?" I pursed my lips, watching her with furrowed brows, taking in every detail of her face.

She smiled widely, almost becoming giddy in her seat. "Alice Cullen. Am I right?"

My eyes grew wide at her confirmation. "How did you –"

"Come on," she whispered, reaching across the table to grab my hand. "I've got some things to explain to you."

Verrin began dragging me through the maze of cafeteria tables, determination written all over her features.

"Where are we going?" I asked, my voice growing slightly alarmed. "What about class?"

"I think chemistry can wait, along with everything else," she muttered, turning back to me to wink at me before pulling me out into the drizzling, cloudy day. "We're going back to my place so I can explain everything to you." I soon found myself standing by her Audi. She paused before opening her door and stared sadly at me from over the roof of the car. "You deserve to know the truth, Bella. I'm sorry I kept it from you for so long."

She was sitting behind the steering wheel so quickly that I barely had time to register the movement let alone everything she had just told me. Nervously, I fumbled for the door handle and dropped down into the leather seat. I couldn't even get my door closed fast enough before we were peeling out of the school parking lot.

Verrin stared straight ahead, a knowing grin plastered permanently across her face. "There's something you need to know about me, Bella."

I cocked an eyebrow in her direction, unsure of what she meant. And all too soon, her meaning became quite clear. I watched in utter fascination as the dark tresses of her hair slowly began to fade into a brilliant blonde. The pointed, small features of her face changed to softly curved cheeks and pouty full lips. Her body began to transform into a stunningly beautiful woman who I had never seen before. I couldn't help but gawk at her exquisite features. She could have rivaled Rosalie's beauty.

Three words seemed to escape me as my body tensed with the realization of what I had just witnessed. "Who are you?"

She turned to me, barely fazed by the shock that resonated from my eyes. "It's still me, Bella. I'm still Verrin."

"But…" I shook my head, trying to make sense of everything. "You… how…"

Verrin giggled as we flew down the highway, obviously finding my confusion amusing. "Answer one question for me, Bella, and then I promise that I'll explain the full story."

I waited on baited breath, wondering just what she was about to ask. "Okay…"

"Would you have come to me if I didn't resemble Alice?"

I couldn't speak, because the truth was that I already knew the answer to that question. I might have been courteous to her that first day, but I wouldn't have tried to converse with her other than a simple 'hello.'

Verrin took my silence as her answer and chuckled lightly, pressing her foot harder on the gas as we sped through the rain. "I needed you to trust me," she said, her voice calm. She breathed in deeply as if reading herself for what she was about to say next. "My family and I are members of a group who governs all of the mystical creatures in the world – vampires, werewolves, witches, shape shifters. Everything you were told in storybooks and fairytales are what we control, even the dead."

A loud, maniacal laughter burst through my parted lips. I couldn't help the hysteria that seemed to consume me in that moment. "Wait… you're trying to tell me that there are more than just vampires and werewolves and you want me to believe that you _govern _them all?"

Verrin seemed surprised by my outburst and hesitantly responded, "yes?" As if it were a simple question instead of statement.

I laughed even harder, holding my sides as I leaned against the passenger door. "I'm sorry… it's just… you have no idea what I've been through. I feel like I'm going insane and I'm not sure that you aren't either."

Within seconds, Verrin had crossed over two lanes of traffic, almost taking off the back end of semi before spinning the car a full 360 and parking it on the side of the road; the tires squealed in a deafening pitch. A cloud of dust settled around the car, even as the rain pounded the earth. My knuckles were white from gripping the door handle. I breathed erratically as my heart threatened to burst out of my chest. Slowly, I turned towards Verrin, gasping as her violet eyes began to turn pitch black.

"Listen to me, Isabella Swan." The musical voice that I had been accustomed to hearing was now gone. "What I tell you is the truth. I'm sure you read it in my diary," she spat, grabbing the book and throwing it carelessly into my lap. "We are a part of the Guardiani di Trevia – the guardians of the three ways. We follow the ideals of the Greek Goddess Hekate. Our members watch over the magical world and those of the dead. We are an ancient order of immortal warriors. Like the Volturi are to vampires, we are the same to all mythical beings. We control all of them."

"For centuries we have loomed over these creatures. Only their leaders know of us. We are ghosts, merely legends to all others, for we hardly ever make our presence known. Only in great times of need, do we deliberately risk exposing ourselves to the rest of the world."

"You knew I was different from the beginning because of my eyes. That is how we are distinguished. We behave like humans, we eat like humans, and almost everything about us is human-like in nature. However, we are immortal and posses great strength and abilities, such as the form of shape shifting that you saw me do earlier."

"And I know, Bella, that you saw me control Mr. Matthew's mind that first day of class. I know you felt the vision that Damian implanted in your brain at the library. Even before he showed you that vision, you felt something else. Didn't you? A sort of calm washing over you?"

I felt a cold shiver travel down my spine as her black eyes threatened to shatter my sanity. This was too much. I felt as if the walls of the small car were caving in around me, threatening to squeeze the air out of my body until my lungs collapsed.

"I took on the physical resemblance of Alice Cullen and Damian used the same powers as Jasper Hale. Why? To get to you. We have the power to manipulate _anyone_."

I could feel the tears pooling in my eyes. There was nothing more that I wanted to do in that moment than to jump out of the car and run far away from Verrin Rigas. Yet... I could only cower in the leather seat, frozen in place by her presence.

"We have stopped many wars from happening between different species of our world," she continued, her voice thick with power. "But now one is about to occur that we don't have control over. And that, my dear friend, is where you come in."

By the time she was finished, I was visibly shaking in my seat. Verrin must have noticed this, because she relaxed immediately and moved herself as close to her door and as far away from me as she possibly could. I watched – trembling in fear – as her eyes changed to the vibrant violet they had been before.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I didn't mean to frighten you, Bella, but you must understand that my temper is wearing thin. Our time running out."

I swallowed hard, carefully shifting in my seat until I was facing the dark sky ahead of us. And when I turned to her again, she had taken on the Alice-like appearance once more.

Verrin had maneuvered the car back onto the highway with ease. The rest of the ride to her home was silent. I mulled over what she had told me, remembering how I was so close to figuring out the truth when I researched the necklace. I still wouldn't have known everything, but I knew more than I had expected. Still, I didn't understand how I was so important to her or the rest of her family.

And as we turned into a gated entrance that led to an enormous stone mansion, I realized, as I saw Alex and Damian standing on the front porch, that I would soon find out everything I needed to know.

Verrin punched in a security code into a box that stood at the entrance of the driveway and the large wrought-iron gates slowly swung open for our arrival. She moved the car around the cobblestoned driveway quickly, until we were parked parallel to the main entrance of the home. I stared up in awe at the columns that supported the massive fortress. This was definitely something I wasn't used to seeing in Florida.

As I climbed out of the car, I took notice of a gated community that sat just outside of the Rigas' property. "You live so close to humans?"

Verrin laughed as she closed her door, making her way over to me. "Like I said, we behave very much like humans. We aren't like your vampire friends. We're not afraid of them, Bella."

"What do you mean?" I asked, following her up the stairs. I kept close to Verrin's side because even though she frightened me, I in no way wanted to be near either of her brothers.

"The Cullens. They're scared of humans. Even Edward was afraid of _you_. He could lose control around you in any moment. It was the same with the rest of his family. It would only take a second for them to lose everything if they succumbed to the monster inside."

I hadn't realized that I had stopped following her until Damian nudged me in the side. "Come on, Isabella. We've been expecting you." His accented voice lifted me from my thoughts and I quickly ran after Verrin to escape his alluring presence.

The inside of their home was immaculate to say the least. Dark mahogany hardwood floors stretched throughout every room. French styled furnishings decorated the main living area and as my eyes traveled up the far wall, over what I was sure to be an original Da Vinci painting, I found myself staring out at the darkened clouds through a large skylight that cast a soft glow over the center of the room.

"Please sit down," Damian requested, gesturing towards a white, Victorian sofa. His voice startled me but not as much as the daggers that Alex shot me with his penetrating violet orbs.

"Ah, Verrin, you're back," a female voice echoed through the home.

As I sat down in the middle of the couch, I turned around to see a brunette walking quickly towards Verrin. Her dark curls bounced happily around her shoulders. She too had the same violet eyes and like the rest of the family, she was exquisitely beautiful.

I envied all of them.

"Catherine," Verrin squealed in delight. "It's so good to see you! When did you get here?"

Catherine embraced Verrin tightly and smiled. "Just a few moments ago. Gabriel is here as well but he received a call from headquarters. He should be able to join us soon." She then turned her piercing gaze on me and I felt myself shiver.

"Well, you must be Isabella Swan." She placed her hands on either side of her waist and casually sauntered over to where I now sat. "I'm Catherine Lekas, Verrin's older sister." She then winked as if what she had said was some private joke.

"I… I don't understand," I muttered, looking helplessly towards Verrin.

"We're not actually sisters, nor are Alex and Damian my actual brothers. But they took me in when I joined the order so we refer to ourselves as a family." She shrugged as she let herself fall onto the couch next to me. "I guess you could say it's similar to how the Cullens refer to themselves as a family as well."

"Oh." I pursed my lips, thinking over her words until a certain name flashed through my mind. I could remember seeing it in Verrin's journal. "Wait… who's Gabriel?"

Catherine smiled and took a seat in a matching armchair that faced the sofa, crossing her legs gracefully. "Gabriel is my husband. He is the leader of our order."

"Are there more of you?" I asked, suddenly finding myself less afraid and more intent on having my questions answered.

"Yes, hundreds more. But they are back at headquarters in Greece." She stared at me curiously, her violet eyes raking over my body. "Tell me, Bella. Do you know why you're here?"

I shook my head and glanced towards Verrin before settling my gaze back on her sister. Alex stood off to the far corner, his arms crossed defiantly as he sneered in my direction. Again I felt my body quiver in fear.

"You're here because of a prophecy."

I stiffened, feeling the weight of that one word seep within my skin, clenching around every part of my being.

Damian walked silently between us, his gaze never leaving mine. "She who is born a mortal but who does not belong to that world will show her true self when Twilight taints the sky. She will not know of her fate nor the destiny she is to fulfill. Great power hides deep within her, for the one who claims the heart of both a werewolf and a vampire will end a war unlike the world has ever seen. The one who possesses this power will become the most powerful Treviari to walk the earth."

Silence.

I stared at Damian as if he had grown a second head. "I… um…" I laughed nervously, sweeping the hair out of my face. "I think you've got the wrong girl. That's – That's not me. I don't – "

"Don't what?" Verrin questioned, her eyes concerned as she turned to face me.

I stared at her disbelievingly before turning my gaze to the rest of the Rigas family. "I don't claim the heart of a werewolf or a vampire. I'm sure Jake may like me but he doesn't…" I shook my head furiously, trying to rid my mind of the insanity of the situation. "He doesn't love me."

"Yes, Bella, Jacob Black does love you." A voice sounded in my ears and I was surprised to see Alex push himself away from the wall and walk towards the center of the room.

"But he wasn't a werewolf when I last saw him," I countered, feeling my voice tremble with uncertainty.

Alex's eyes hardened as he glared at me, reminding me just how terrifying he was. "He is _now_."

I could feel the room begin to spin, but I pushed it aside, trying to do anything to keep myself lucid during this conversation. "But that still doesn't account for the other part. No vampire loves me. I can assure you of that." I cringed at my own words as my eyes shut tightly. The memory of Edward leaving me in the woods flashed through my mind. I could taste the bile rising up my throat.

"Edward Cullen lied to you," Damian clarified, making me snap my eyes open to stare at him incredulously.

"What?"

"He lied to you to keep you safe from him and his family." I could feel my heart beating rapidly beneath my chest as I watched him lean over Catherine's chair. "After his brother, Jasper, tried to attack you on your birthday, he knew he needed to get away from you. He thought he was keeping you safe."

"I don't believe you," I whispered, feeling the tears sting my eyes. "He told me he didn't want me."

Alex sighed and turned towards his brother. "Bring her in." His voice was so low that I barely registered its dark tone.

Damian had left the room and returned in less than a second. But this time, someone was with him. A brilliant shade of fiery red caught my attention and I immediately stood up, horrified at who was now before me.

"Victoria," I gasped, my eyes widening in fear.

She hissed at Damian as he gripped her hair, yanking her head back until the arch of her pale neck was exposed. "Tell her why you're here," he seethed, his eyes turning black as his fingers began to pull the roots out of her scalp. "Admit that you were the one who broke into Bella's home." Panic coursed through my body. Victoria had been in my house. A vampire. One who had tried to kill me no less. Sweat began to bead across my forehead as I watched Damian grip her left arm and twist until a deafening crack echoed throughout the room. Victoria cried out in pain and fell to her knees, shaking the floor beneath my feet.

For a moment, I took pity on her. I'd never seen a vampire surrender in such a way.

Victoria's red eyes unwillingly locked with mine. "Aro sent me to bring you to Volterra."

_Aro_. I knew that name well enough from Edward's stories.

"Edward isn't cooperating and he felt that you should be there with him," she hissed.

I froze, feeling my heart spring back to life violently. "Edward is with the Volturi?" My voice began to take on a hysterical tone as I flickered my eyes to each violet gaze. Images of a red eyed monster ready to strike the one being who had claimed my heart assaulted my mind as Edward's words returned to me from the nightmare. "_The Volturi." _

"The whole family is there," Damian corrected.

The room was definitely spinning now. I felt Verrin take hold of my arms and sit me back down beside of her.

Her eyes turned black as she moved her gaze to the redheaded demon that now kneeled on the floor. "Damian, _remove_ her."

"Not just yet," a new voice insisted.

I glanced up, breathing heavily in Verrin's arms as she held me against her protectively. A man walked into the room with such grace and poise that defied the elegance which coated every vampire's move. He too had dark hair and violet eyes. But his were a darker violet – older. The long waves of his hair reached the top of his shoulders. His features were sharp, his cheekbones high. I felt overwhelmingly captivated by his presence and it was then that I knew who he was. My gaze flickered to a small snake-like pendant that hung from around his neck.

"My apologies, little one," he crooned, smiling down at me. "My name is Gabriel. I'm sure Catherine has told you who I am and I will not further that explanation. However, I do regret the animosity you have felt towards us, especially since Victoria is now here. But do not fear," he waved his hand in the air as if to dismiss all of my worries. "She will not harm you while we are here."

Victoria instantly cowered in his presence. It was obvious that these people had enormous power.

"You must have many questions for us," he mused, his eyes twinkling within the shadows of the room.

I shook in Verrin's grasp, barely trusting my voice to be louder than a whisper. "I still don't understand. Why do you need me to stop this war if you all are so powerful? And why are the Cullens in Volterra?"

Gabriel motioned towards Damian. "Would you care to explain the first?"

"I would take great pleasure in it, Gabriel. Thank you." Damian bowed his head and turned his attention back to me. "Bella, we do have the power to stop wars as I'm sure Verrin has explained to you. In a sense, I guess you could think of us collectively as the "mortal" presence of Hekate, meaning that we can walk the earth and take situations into our own hands. However, you will have more power than any Treviari member. We can't stop this alone. This war will ruin both mortal and immortal lives. It's a very complicated story and I'm sure Gabriel will be the one to explain everything to you in more detail, but to put matters plainly, even though we are not mortal, we can still die – just like vampires can die and werewolves and so on. Everyone has their own weakness, Bella. And you happen to be Edward's as well as Jacob's."

"Which also makes you a key figure," Catherine chimed in.

"Ah, yes, but before we get into anything further, I have one question I'd like to ask our new friend," Gabriel concluded sweetly.

I sat up a bit straighter, still in the confines of Verrin's arms. She nodded at me, telling me it was okay and for some reason I trusted her. Slowly, I turned my gaze back to Gabriel… waiting.

He smiled warmly and sat down on the arm of Catherine's chair. "Tell me, Bella. How do you feel about immortality?"

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**A/N #2**: Dun, dun, dun... Will Bella join them? Will she see Edward again? What about Jacob? What kind of prophecy is that? And why the hell isn't more explained?

I'm sorry, kids. This was as much as I could get done for the night. It's not the greatest thing I've ever written, but I wanted to post this sooner than later. In about a week, I'm going to be starting a medical program and for those of you in the medical field, you know that my free time will become very limited. However, I will do my best to get another update posted before I start classes. In the meantime, I'd like to point out that more of the prophecy will be explained in the next chapter. I really want to have a conversation occur between Bella and Gabriel, so obviously he'll be explaining things in greater detail (aka - more about who they are, how he became the leader, blah blah...). Also, there will be another Edward POV in the next chapter too XD

Oh dear... that's going to be a lengthy one... lol. Again, I would like to thank you for the overwhelming response that I've had for this story. I don't have the time to respond to all of you but I read all of the comments and I greatly appreciate them :)


	8. Ch 7: An Uncertain Future

******Disclaimer**: I own nothing in this story except for my own little plot line and any characters you may not recognize. Everything else is property of the genius Stephenie Meyer.

**A/N**: Okay, I know I said that I would have a Bella/Gabriel conversation in this update, but I ended up making this all about Edward. I'm sure you're not complaining ;) Actually, I figured since it's been about 2 weeks since I've updated, you'd be thrilled to read something regardless... lol. Which I apologize for the lack of updating, but as I've said previously, school has been taking up my time. Also, I'm insanely tired and I've read through this and edited about a bagillion times but I'm sure there are still grammar/spelling errors. So you know, if you see them, I apologize but I'll come back and fix it later.

Anyway, this was actually a favorite of mine to write, so I hope you all enjoy it! :)

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**Edward's POV**:

Black marbled walls enclosed the small hallway, caving in to surround the one who walked its floor. Faint lights cascaded yellow streams that glowed softly from the ceiling. The tiled floor was slick, hard. Every sound would echo in the small space, bouncing off the ground to the wall and finally the ceiling. Once it reached its destination, it would burst into a thousand humming chords, a crescendo that was deafening to those near it.

But tonight it was silent. Tonight the darkness gathered, seeping from the corners of the walls and spilling onto the onyx tiles. The sounds from the city above were nonexistent. The voices from the vampires that filled the vaults and the crypts that were buried within the earth were hushed. Not even the ghosts of lost souls floated through this hall. It was a tomb.

_My _tomb.

I walked the length of the floor, lazily clasping my hands behind me – thinking. We were brought here for a purpose. A purpose that was yet unclear to me, but Carlisle knew more than any of us. While he didn't trust Aro's words, he knew that something greater – something powerful – affected us. Whether or not we helped the Volturi, it wouldn't matter. Whatever this battle was that Aro was willing to create would eventually draw nearer to our kind. No vampire would go uncalled. No werewolf would leave without revenge. And more importantly, no human would go unhurt.

_Bella._

A deep sadness settled over my dead heart as an image of her face floated through my mind - a memory that always haunted me. It was night. Shadows were cast over her pale skin. The deep warmth of her chocolate eyes simmered in the blackness of her room. She smiled, exposing the whites of her perfect teeth. The faint freckles that powdered her nose shifted when her skin would crinkle as she laughed. She turned her head to face the ceiling, displaying the perfect curve of her nose, the soft flutter of her lashes as they fell against her blushing cheeks, the flawless rendering of her full lips.

I ached for her. My fingers twitched with the desire to touch her, to feel the blood rushing beneath her skin as my palms caressed her soft curves. I wanted to place my hands on either side of her face, just to feel the blush that would spread across her cheeks and prove to me that she was here. The familiar stinging sensation that bombarded my eyes, replacing the human reaction of creating tears, came to me suddenly. There was nothing else in the world that I wanted or cared about more than Bella.

But here I was. Trapped. Alone. Staring off into the black chasm of the earth, wondering if what the future held would swallow me whole and everyone else who I loved.

Sighing, I tilted my head back as I stood beneath a circular light from the ceiling. I closed my eyes, seeking solace. The yellowish glow did little to create the light behind my shut lids. There was no blood that flowed through the small arteries in my skin; therefore there was nothing to absorb the light except tubes of clear venom. I was still captured in a darkness that would never let me be.

_Edward. _

I opened my eyes, slowly lowering my head but made no move to turn as the soft click of Carlisle's steps echoed throughout the length of the hall. I could see the image of my back in his mind, the white of my skin glowed beneath the light creating a brightness that resembled winter snow below the sun's rays. And yet black surrounded my tense form. I was the only ghost that wandered the halls. I was the one standing as if I were before a large cross in a silent cathedral, begging God to erase my sins.

The small tick of my lips curved into a sardonic smile. Nothing could save me for the things that I had done. Everything was sheltered by shadows.

"Edward, we'll be able to leave soon. I promise," Carlisle whispered, stopping at my side. He mirrored my stance, clasping his arms behind him and staring off into the dark hole of the empty hall. "I believe that there is still some time before Aro decides to do anything drastic."

"Anything drastic," I muttered, shaking my head. "He sent Victoria after Bella. Was that not drastic enough for you?"

He grimaced at my cold words, but I couldn't find it in me to apologize. Instead, I returned my gaze to the dark obscurity that haunted my sight.

"She was captured, Edward." _Victoria was caught._

I turned to him in mild shock, my eyes widening. Words itched to escape my lips but before I could utter a single syllable, he spoke for me.

"A letter was sent back to Aro only an hour ago. He wouldn't tell me who sent the letter, but this I know," he breathed, his body perfectly still as his whispering tone echoed in my ears. "Aro was frightened. Truly frightened."

I continued to watch him, mulling over the information in my mind.

"There was only one time that I saw him like that," he continued, his voice distant now. "Back when I was apart of the guard. He received a call from some anonymous figure. No one knew who it was but rumors circled throughout the ranks that a power greater than us had threatened him."

"Greater than the Volturi? Who was it?" I questioned, genuinely intrigued. The Volturi were rarely afraid of anything. They were the law. Plain and simple.

"Guardiani de Trevia…" he whispered, his pupils contracting infinitesimally.

The name was unfamiliar to me. Through all the stories that Carlisle had informed me of during his long existence, that name had never been brought up. It was curious now because it seemed to strike a chord within him. I turned to stand directly in front of his gaze. His golden eyes, full of their wisdom, stared through me, unseeing.

"Carlisle," I stated, making sure to speak each syllable perfectly. "What is the Guardiani de Trevia?"

"A myth. A legend," he breathed, his eyes refocusing on me now. "They are said to be more powerful than any creature that has ever existed. Immortal warriors destined to preside over the mythical world. We all believed it to be a wives tale, a story made up to keep every unnatural creature in line. It was said that when things got out of hand, they would step in. You would never know who they were. They disguise themselves to blend in with the ones that they are watching. The only way to discern their true identity is their eyes…"

I was tense, standing only mere inches from his face as his words sent a chill down my spine. One that I was not used to feeling. "What about their eyes, Carlisle?" My voice was barely above a whisper.

He stared past me, remembering earlier times that I could clearly see in his mind – times when he stood off to the side in the small crypt where Aro and his brothers would command the guards' presence.

"They're a deep violet. Hypnotizing…"

"Carlisle, have you seen them before?" His behavior had thrown me off. I wasn't even sure if I was really talking to the vampire who had created my undead existence anymore.

"No," he shook his head, lowering his gaze and returning it back to me. "No, I've only ever overheard Aro telling Caius and Marcus about a meeting that he had. One with a strange cloaked being who possessed _eyes like amethyst_. That's the phrase he used."

"Over three hundred years, I've walked this Earth," he muttered, his eyes growing forlorn, distant. "Never have I witnessed such a being."

It was the moment that I truly saw Carlisle the man, not the vampire. He had always been so strong and knowing. He was the protector, the negotiator of our family. Each and every one of us looked up to him with respect that he never thought he deserved for what he was. And yet here, in this sepulcher of silence, he was every bit as human as the ones who walked the streets up above us, whose hearts fluttered faintly in the distance with their every step. I saw the uncertainty, the humanity in his eyes and I knew… I knew then that he was right all along. A soul still exists for every being. Even one as monstrous as me.

"Carlisle," I spoke, gently placing my hand on his shoulder. He turned to me, his amber eyes bright with only the knowledge of oneself that can come with as long as he has existed. "We'll figure everything out. I promise."

He grinned, a small dimple appearing in the side of his cheek. "Yes," he concurred, clapping me on the back. "We will."

It was a rare moment between us, but one that I would never forget. For the first time since we had been summoned here, I finally felt the smallest shred of hope. It was weak – faint – but it was there, simmering in the distance. And with that brought the glowing image of Bella. Whatever challenge was thrown our way, we would all get through it. I had hope in that.

The soft pattering of our feet as we moved across the marbled floor echoed in the air. But it was no longer a feeling of emptiness that I felt, rather one of serenity and peace. Finally, there was some kind of light at the end of the long tunnel. And I clung to it with every step, every small movement. Because it was all I had now.

"Bella is safe," Carlisle informed me suddenly, breaking my thoughts. "Whoever has Victoria has made sure of that."

"But she won't be brought here, will she?" The thought alone both bothered and comforted me. As much as I never wanted her to ever step foot in this nightmarish place, I couldn't deny that I longed to see her.

Carlisle sensed my troubled mind and he paused beneath the narrow doorway that led out into the cavernous tunnels, towards the main crypt where Aro and the rest of the guard waited. A knowing, sad smile crossed his pale face and there, before my very presence, was the father figure that I had known for over a hundred years. "Not yet."

_He must take me up on this offer. I can't risk losing any of them. _

A new voice pierced my mind. My gaze drifted ever so slightly to the left as I pursed my lips in thought. We were still standing in the doorway, half of our forms illuminated by the flickering orange glow of the torches that were anchored into the dirt walls.

_What is it?_ Carlisle questioned, his eyes narrowing as he gazed down the empty tunnel.

"It's Aro," I hissed. "He's on his way to find you."

But as I turned back to him, the slightest hint of cerulean blue flashed from down within the depths of the tunnel. Instantly, I stepped out fully into the dark passageway, my body tensing involuntarily.

_Geez, Edward. You're like a bomb waiting to explode._

I breathed a sigh of relief as the familiar voice proceeded to giggle in my mind. "Alice," I muttered. "What are you doing here?"

She skipped down the hall, her black pixie-like hair bouncing in the stagnant air, much to my surprise. And a small fluttering blue ribbon weaved in and out of a few strands. I rolled my eyes.

"Just here to get you," she explained. The smile that adorned her elfin face should have been enough to warn me.

"About what?"

She exchanged a brief glance with Carlisle, her golden eyes sparkling. "You'll see."

Instantly, I felt her small hand clutch mine as a familiar but sickening voice filled the air.

"Ah, Carlisle, I was hoping to find you."

The three of us turned to the sight of Aro's translucent form gliding above the grimy dirt that covered the ground. He smiled curtly and I did my best to do the same. "Alice, my dear, how good it is to see you with your brother," he appraised, clasping his hands together as if talking to a young child.

She smiled widely and bowed her head in acknowledgment. _Relax, Edward._ "Thank you. I must admit that I do miss spending quality time with him."

He seemed very appeased by this comment as I watched his thin lips spread further into a u-shaped grin. "Indeed, my dear. Why don't you two go and catch up. I know that our Edward here has been very lost in other thoughts as of late."

A faint growl rumbled in the very pit of my stomach, but I did my best to keep it from slipping into the air.

Alice's hand tightened around mine.

"If you two don't mind, I'd like to have a word with Carlisle," Aro insisted, turning his questioning gaze to him.

Carlisle nodded. "Of course." _I'll see you two back in the room in a few minutes, Edward. _

"Ah, excellent," Aro hissed, his eyes narrowing into slits like that of a snakes. It was difficult for me to watch him place his diaphanous hand around Carlisle's shoulders, leading him down the tunnel. It was even more difficult when I saw the conversation that occurred between us flit through Aro's mind.

I held my breath as the muscles in my jaw tightened, constricting in almost a painful manner. Neither Alice's annoyingly cheerful presence nor the ridiculous prices of Jimmy Choo shoes that she repeated in her head made me feel better. In fact, the crease in my forehead only seemed to embed its way further into my skin as we walked away. The peace and comfort I had once felt moments ago was now gone. All I could think of now was smashing the mahogany door to our suite that presently stood before us. It surprised me that we were even back so soon. Time seemed so trivial now.

The door opened as soon as Alice rapped her small hand against the wood. Emmett and Jasper stood on the other side, both inspecting me with an all too familiar seriousness. "Pay up," Jasper insisted, reaching out his hand.

Emmett glanced down into the pale flesh and grimaced. "Dammit."

"And what were you betting on this time?" I growled, pushing through them and into the spacious French styled living room. Yes, despite the cavelike appearance of the Volturi's underground hideout, they never let their guests stay in anything short of extraordinary. Esme sat at a small writing desk, her hands placed comfortably in her lap as she issued me a sad smile. Rosalie merely rolled her eyes and continued to stare off into the white marbled floors, as she stood motionless in front of the grand fireplace.

"We were wondering if that crease in your forehead would be staying with us tonight," Emmett teased.

"And what did you conclude?" I absently responded, sitting down at the baby grand that was situated on the opposite side of the room. It wasn't enough that we were prisoners here, but Aro only mocked us by adding lavish things to keep our interest. My fingers danced over the white keys violently. With each chord, I would press down on the right pedal, crafting a deafening echo that filled the room.

But somehow, it wasn't enough to drown out their voices or their thoughts.

"Never bet on me," Alice replied smugly as she twirled around in perfect ballet spins that would have the most ingenious physicist staring at the speed she created in wonder.

"Fifty bucks, Emmett. Hand it over." Jasper held out his hand once more all while watching Alice with lovesick eyes. And it made me realize just how much I envied him. My fingers faltered on a flat chord.

Emmett cursed silently while digging through his wallet. "You know, bro, I had faith in you," he said, turning over his shoulder to glance in my direction. I sighed and stood up to cross the length of the room, joining Rosalie by the fireplace. Alice still spun in perfect circles around us.

"Sorry to disappoint," I muttered.

"Stop bothering your brother," Esme scolded in a barely menacing tone. "He's been through enough."

I sent her an appreciative glance but knew her words did little to discourage the likes of Jazz and the great buffoon in the corner.

_Momma's boy, _Emmett taunted, a sly grin spreading across his face.

Rosalie, always in tune to Emmett's behavior, sent him a deadly glare that made him cower instantly.

I ignored them both and watched as Esme moved towards me. "Well, at least we're not always surrounded by the rest of _them_," she sighed, crossing her arms over her chest.

How could I forget, the hundreds of other vampires that presided under the city just like us. Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on how you saw it, we were situated in an area far from the rest of them. Basically meaning that we were Aro's prized pets.

"I can't imagine having to confront some of them," Esme whispered. "They remind me of those nomads last…" Her voice trailed off as she suddenly glanced up at me. "Oh Edward, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have said anything to make you remember."

"Esme, it's alright. I understand what you mean." I forced a small smile to show her that I wasn't upset, because honestly how could anyone be upset with her?

"So what do you think Carlisle and Aro are talking about anyway?" Rosalie asked abruptly, speaking her first words since I entered the suite.

Jasper slid his eyes to the now perched pixie that sat on top of the closed baby grand. I winced at the sight.

"Only one person knows that," he answered, casting Alice a knowing glance.

She swung her legs freely off the side of the large black instrument. Her eyes sparkled mischievously as she bit her lower lip. It had been a while since I had seen her behave this way. But unless I wanted to hear the details of venous blood flow, there was no way of getting her true thoughts from her mind.

"Five," she counted. "Four… Three… Two… One…"

The door swung open, revealing a relieved but exhausted Carlisle. Esme immediately went to his side, her tawny eyes hopeful as he wrapped his arm around her waist.

I looked away.

"Aro has just informed me that we have until the end of the month to make our final decision on whether or not we will help them." He sighed heavily as the rest of us moved towards him. "I think it's pretty fruitless as we'll undoubtedly be involved anyway. Regardless, I want to get out of here just as much as you all do. So we're going back to Forks."

Alice began bouncing in her place, practically beaming like a miniature sun. It was a final decision that we could all live with and everyone else instantly moved around to pack up their things. But I couldn't take it anymore. Alice wasn't telling me everything.

And just as she always knew, she turned to me and motioned for me to follow her into a small hallway that led to a starkly white sitting room. She flitted over to a wall size portrait of one of Da Vinci's drapery studies, a recherché piece indeed. The exquisite rendering of the drapery commanded the presence of whoever stood before it. Thick folds of cloth fell over the figure's left shoulder, enveloping the lower half of his body. The rest of his form was a faint outline, like a mist seeping into the page creating a headless figure. And yet I felt his gaze, judging me.

"Alice," I hissed, feeling quite unsettled as I stalked towards her. "Forks can't be the only reason that you're so giddy all of a sudden. I know it's not any reason for me to be happy," I finished quietly, letting my eyes cast down to the floor.

She merely stood before me, a wide smile plastered over her face and that damn blue ribbon highlighting her hair, reminding me of Bella.

"Just tell me, Alice," I sighed, practically begging her. "Please."

"It's not clear," she finally said, spinning around while toying with her fingers. "But I keep getting the feeling that we'll be meeting someone soon."

I watched her curiously, intent on finding an image of this _someone_ in her mind. "And who would that be exactly?"

Like the quick flip of a switch, she turned back towards me and bobbed upwards on the toes of her feet excitedly. "I guess we'll have to just wait and see."

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**A/N #2**: Who's this mysterious person I wonder? *whistles* Anyway, I PROMISE that the next update will have the whole Bella/Gabriel thing. I'll do my best to update a bit sooner this time too ;) Also, THANK YOU so much for the huge response this story has received so far! I send hugs and lots of Edward goodness your way XD


	9. Ch 8: Tales of Old

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing in this story except for my own little plot line and any characters you may not recognize. Everything else is property of the genius Stephenie Meyer.

**A/N: **It's about time for another update, isn't it? I'm so sorry for the long wait but honestly, life is just a bit crazy right now. Anyway, I believe this is the update you all have been anxiously awaiting to read. There will be more tidbits explained in the next one, but most of everything is explained here. So don't freak out and be like... "Well, what about this?" in your reviews. I promise I'll do my best to cover everything that may be left unanswered in this update, later on.

Mkay, so yay for over 150 reviews! *does a happy dance* Thank you! Now go read... ;P

**Bella's POV**:

The sun was beginning to set as it cast an orange glow across the mahogany floor of Gabriel's study. I slowly walked towards the window on the far left, peering out through the thick glass as the evening light began to set across the sky. _Twilight_. It was odd how I knew exactly when this time of day was. Not by the change in the sky's hue, or by the chiming of a clock nearby. I could have been in total darkness and yet I knew when twilight cloaked this part of the Earth.

"_Tell me, Bella. How do you feel about immortality?" _

It was a question that plagued my mind for the past hour. I was too stunned by the events that had taken place, that I was unable to even form a coherent thought, much less an answer to Gabriel's inquiry.

Eventually, he had told Verrin to take me into his study where I was to wait for him. "There is much that needs to be explained," he had told me. And so I waited, calmly moving around the large study which could have been better described as a small library. Thousands of books covered the walls, the shelves towering up towards the ceiling. A large fireplace sat in the middle wall of the room, outlined in rich, black marble. And atop of the mantel sat various amphoras, all depicting ancient Greek gods and symbols. However, I was all too aware of the female figure, holding her burning torches, which made an appearance in every clay vase.

I needed to know more. More about where they came from and why they needed me. It seemed so surreal, so bizarre. And if I was being honest with myself, I often wondered if I wasn't making this fantastical world up as a way to cope with the loss of Edward. Even more disturbing still, at times I would let my mind wander to the idea that I had even made _him_ up.

The glowing rays of the sun shone over my eyes, casting everything in a blinding cerise light. I placed my hand against the windowpane, surprised by the cold that enveloped my palm. Yet, it was soothing… comforting.

My heart ached for the one person who was halfway across the globe. _"Edward Cullen lied to you."_ There was truth behind Damian's words and yet I still couldn't believe it. All I saw was the clarity in Edward's eyes when he told me that he didn't love me. It was enough to keep myself locked in the shadows forever.

A maniacal laugh echoed throughout the walls, catching my attention. I recognized the voice to be that of Victoria's and the next sound that I heard made me cower away from the window and towards the nearest corner of the room. A sickening crunch followed by a deafening cry of pain rang everywhere, swelling like the chime of a bell issuing from a cathedral.

I clasped my hands over my ears tightly as the screams continued. It must have gone on for another five minutes. Until finally, there was nothing but silence.

Glancing nervously towards the closed door of the study, I slowly walked over to the window where a deep violet glow began to wash over the horizon of the sky.

The brass doorknob turned silently as Gabriel quietly entered the room. He smiled at me, but I knew it didn't reach his eyes.

I swallowed heavily, shifting my weight from one foot to the other as I watched him approach his desk. "Is she…"

"Dead?" he finished, the finality of his voice making my stomach churn. "No, Bella. Victoria isn't dead. She merely wasn't cooperating." He sat down in the black leather chair behind his desk before motioning for me to take a seat as well.

I watched him cautiously as I did so. "Where's Verrin?"

Gabriel smiled warmly as he clasped his hands before him. "She's with Catherine upstairs, probably listening in to our conversation." He chuckled lightly before leaning towards me across the varnished wooden plane. "She has really taken a liking to you, Bella. Which brings me to my previous question. Have you thought about it?"

"Yes," I muttered, glancing down at my lap. Suddenly, the faint blue stitches in my jeans seemed utterly fascinating. "But I still need to know more before I make my decision."

"I wouldn't have expected anything less," he mused. "I take it that you've already determined a few things for yourself. Damian and Alex told me of that day in the library."

A warm blush crept across my face as I lowered my gaze even further. "I was just – "

"No need to explain yourself, Bella. I would have done the same thing."

I glanced up at him then, surprised to see a soft light in his violet gaze. He seemed so insightful, knowing. It was as if I could see the hundreds of years that he had lived pass over his eyes.

"There are many things that I need to explain to you. Most of which I doubt will even be explained tonight, but I guess I'll go ahead and start at the beginning. I was about your age when I became a member of the Guardiani de Trevia. It was the year 1080 AD. My family and I lived in a small town just outside of Eleusina, the land of the Eleusinian Mysteries – ceremonies for people who worshipped Demeter and Persephone. People ventured far and wide to become members of the cult. Always believing in some form of afterlife," he whispered, straying his eyes towards the window. "My mother had a small shrine set up in our home, where she would kneel before a statue of Hekate and pray to her every day and night. Both my father and sister did the same, always reciting prayers and burning saffron at the foot of the statue. I was the only one who didn't."

Gabriel stood, crossing his arms casually behind his back as he walked towards the mantel that held the many decorated amphoras. "My mother hated me for my lack of religion but I didn't seem to understand it. Worshipping too many gods seemed strange to me. I felt as if there was something more than just mere powerful, invisible beings that governed our world." He silently reached up to trace the outline of Hekate raising two burning torches above her head. "Even now some things remain a mystery…"

I sat there in my chair, transfixed on his voice. My brain couldn't even begin to grasp the fact that I was in the same room with a man who was over nine hundred years old. That was almost a millennium and certainly far older than any vampire I had ever met. And to think that I thought Carlisle's nearly four centuries was old.

Gabriel turned to me suddenly, a light shining in his eyes. "I was very much like you, Bella – always wanting to know more. So, one day I went down to Eleusina where the next initiates were entering the temple, preparing to serve Demeter and Persephone. I watched them, trying to figure out why they were so captivated by such an event. It was when I saw him – Lukas – standing beneath the shadows off to the side of the temple. Watching me. He was the Treviaron leader at the time and he was the one who created me into what I am today."

Moving ever so slightly, Gabriel flexed his fingers before the hearth of the fireplace. The soft glow of the embers suddenly illuminated the room and I watched in a daze as the small flames licked their way over the wooden logs. He smiled down at me, a strand of dark hair falling over his violet eyes.

"And just like you, I was afraid," he whispered. I watched as his gaze became distant… lost.

"His eyes were like amethyst… unlike anything I had ever seen before. It frightened me, the things that he had said. He had told me that he had been looking for me. That I was the next chosen one to be like them – to join them. But I was too afraid. I ran away from him and back to my home. Eventually, I saw the truth in his words."

Gabriel's voice lingered, diminishing into a mere whisper as he stood solemnly before me. I never would have thought to see someone so powerful withdraw into themselves this way. It was oddly comforting.

"That night, I left my family to stay with him and the rest of the guard," he continued. "I was eager to find answers, to become something that could physically help the world and not just a figure who was prayed to. Lukas had explained to me that we were a group of immortal beings who watched over the mythical world. It was a world that I was not even accustomed too and yet I was so familiar with myths and legends of my time. Vampires, werewolves, witches, succubi, all of theses creatures, Bella, were things that I had never really heard of. Witchcraft was a common practice I assume, even more so as centuries passed, but the rest of it… fabled; figments of the imagination."

I opened my mouth to speak, but didn't know if I should. He had seemed so lost in his story that I hated to interrupt him. Somehow, my voice carried into the thick air. "But… how did you actually become immortal? Did it happen before you left that night or after? And where is Lukas? Is he also at headquarters? No… you're the leader now… Well, that doesn't make sense." It was verbal diarrhea. That was the only way I could excuse myself for the multitude of questions that spilled forth.

Gabriel chuckled and sat back down behind his desk. "I'm sorry, I've seemed to leave out all of the most important things haven't I?"

I blushed, but smiled back sheepishly nonetheless. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I wondered if Renee had left ten messages on my cell phone already.

Gabriel cleared his throat as he straightened up in his chair and I knew then that he would be starting with the most difficult of my questions first.

"Do you remember when Damian told you that we all have our weaknesses?" he asked.

I nodded, remembering the conversation all too well.

"Hekate is the goddess of many things, Bella. And she represents different aspects of this world. More commonly the torch and also the snake." He picked up the silver pendant that hung loosely around his neck, inspecting it. "But she also symbolizes the moon. And every once in a while, the moon passes between the sun and the Earth, creating a solar eclipse."

My hands tightened around the armrests of the chair as I gazed into Gabriel's suddenly blackening eyes.

"We are forced into a weakened state during the eclipse. Most of the time, it doesn't matter. But it becomes dangerous for our kind when we fight during an eclipse. It's been nearly two hundred years since that has occurred, but it left us in smaller numbers than we had started with. Lukas had been killed during a fight between a group of rogue vampires and shapeshifters. I'll give you one guess as to who led the vampires."

I stared at him blankly, raking my mind over the possibilities. "The Volturi?"

He nodded once, his face becoming grim. "Aro was always blood thirsty in his ways. He'll trick you into making you believe the calm, sickly sweet façade. But it's a lie, Bella. With them, it's always a lie. Which is also why we need you."

"But wait," I interrupted, interested in hearing the rest of the story but needing to hear the answers to my other questions. "You haven't explained to me how you changed. If I'm going to do this, I need to be prepared." My voice sounded strangely more confident than I felt.

Gabriel turned to look out the window into the night sky just as the grandfather clock out in the hallway chimed seven o'clock. "Don't worry, little one," he breathed. "It's not painful, nor is it something that you have to endure for a length of time. We don't chant or perform some ceremony, nor do we have you drink something or any of that other nonsense." He then turned to me, a small smile curving his lips. I watched, perplexed, as he stood and moved towards me, outstretching his hand. "Think of it as a gift, Bella."

I gazed down towards the tan flesh dubiously before slowly placing my hand in his grasp. A sharp tingle instantly shot through my arm, making me stare at him in shock. But it was as if he never even noticed it.

"It's late, Bella. I'll explain more to you tomorrow but I think now would be a good time to have Verrin drive you back home. Your mother's already called ten times."

"I knew it," I muttered, releasing his hand. The tingling sensation was gone within seconds and my concentration was now focused on the sight of Verrin as she bounded through the study door.

"Come on, Bella. We need to go before Renee has an aneurysm," she joked. Grabbing my hand, she instantly tugged me out into the hallway. I only barely had time to turn around and thank Gabriel for his time before he was out of my sight completely.

It was a quick journey out of the house but I did recall never seeing anyone with the exception of Catherine as she sat in the living room, reading a book. She had smiled at me before Verrin had pulled me through the front door and out into the starry night.

The trip back home was quiet. Verrin never prodded into the conversation that I had with Gabriel, but I knew that she had, as Gabriel suggested, listened in to every word we said.

And just as Verrin suggested, Renee burst through the front door as soon as we pulled into the driveway. I didn't even have time to wave goodbye to her before my mother was yelling hysterically and yanking me in the direction of our home.

"Bella, where were you? I called you at least twenty times!" she screeched.

"Ten, mom," I muttered, grimacing as I saw our neighbors stare at us oddly from their front porch.

"I mean, really, do you want your mother to have a heart attack? The least you could have done was to tell me you would be out with a friend! Is that so much to ask?"

I fumed silently, wondering why in the hell she was so worried now when she had been pushing me to go out and meet some new friends earlier. As soon as we entered the threshold, I made a beeline to the staircase. "I was out at the library studying with Verrin. My cell phone was on silent so I never heard it ring," I huffed, stomping up the stairs. Yeah, I was behaving like a five year old but damnit, she behaved this way all the time. I was at least entitled to five childish outbursts every year. Period.

"I'm going to bed, mom. I'll see you in the morning," I called back from the top landing.

"Isabella Marie Swan, you get down here! Now!"

Phil's voice echoed from the kitchen and I couldn't have been more grateful for it. "Renee, honey, just leave her be. She's home now. It's fine. Come back and eat dinner with me."

"Eat dinner?" she shrieked.

And on that note, I slammed the door shut, closing off the annoying sounds. I threw my bag down to the floor in an attempt to let out my frustration, but instead the strap got caught around my shoulder and I ended up toppling onto the ground as well.

"Fabulous," I muttered, blowing a few strands of hair away from my eyes.

Today had been one of the most bizarre days I had ever been through. It almost topped the day that Edward saved me from Tyler's skidding van.

Almost.

I sat down heavily on my bed and allowed my body to give way to gravity as my head hit the pillow. So many things swarmed through my mind, that I could already feel a migraine begin to pulse through my skull.

Jacob was a werewolf and apparently he loved me. Edward lied to me, so apparently he still loved me too. And now I had to make a decision that no normal eighteen year old should ever have to make. Scratch that. _No one_ should ever have to make this decision. Yet here I was contemplating eternity. To be immortal or not to be immortal? That was the question.

I felt like banging my head through the wall.

_Edward…_ I snorted at the mere thought of him entering my mind. Wouldn't it just piss him off to know that I became immortal and there was nothing he could do about it? I felt myself smile at the idea, but quickly squashed it as I realized that this meant much more than just Edward and myself. What would happen if I did become immortal? Would I have to leave Renee and Phil? And what about Charlie? It had felt so long since I had seen him. Even then, what was I supposed to do? Gabriel had mentioned something about the Volturi and Victoria already wanted to take me to them anyway. Would I have to go there? The idea alone terrified me, but what was worse, was that I would undoubtedly face the entire Cullen family there as well.

Why me?

I groaned and flipped over onto my side as I reached out to the phone that sat on my nightstand. My fingers dialed the number quickly and I laid there… waiting.

"Swan residence," a gruff voice sounded.

"Hey dad," I replied, feeling a ghost of a smile light up my face. "How've you been?"

"Bells? Is that you?"

I laughed softly but inwardly cursed myself for not keeping in touch with him as often as I should have. "Yeah, it's me. What are you up to?"

"Oh… um, just watching the Mariner's game. You know, the usual. So, how've you been, Bells? I miss you over here."

I could feel the tears begin to sting my eyes but I continued to smile even though Charlie couldn't see it. "I'm fine. Keeping busy with school and stuff. And you know, always worrying mom."

He made some sort of grunting sound and I couldn't help but stifle a snicker. "That doesn't surprise me. Your mother worried over everything."

"Yeah…" My fingers idly began to pick at the hem of my shirt as an awkward silence began to settle in. I heard him sigh softly, even over the background noise of the game.

"Are you sure you're okay, Bella? If you need to come back here, you know you can."

"No, I know, dad. I promise, I'm fine. I just wanted to hear your voice."

"Oh, well… it's good to hear you, Bells. Tell your mom and Phil that I said 'hello.' And you take it easy alright?"

I grinned, still fiddling with a thread that was now loose from my shirt. "Yeah, you too. And uh… if you see Jake, could you tell him that I've been trying to get in touch with him? It's been a while since since he's contacted me."

"Sure thing," he muttered and I could tell by the sound of his voice that he did and didn't want to get off the phone.

Charlie and I were never ones to really express our feelings but I felt as if I needed to say this tonight more than ever. "Well… love you, dad."

It was quiet for a minute before a muffled, "love you too, Bells" could be heard from the other line. And after a brief moment we hung up.

My body was completely exhausted. I wanted to pretend that everything that had happened today was merely a dream and nothing more. But life was never that easy – especially mine. For the next hour I laid in bed, staring up at the ceiling and wondering what I was going to tell Gabriel tomorrow. And at some point, without even realizing it, I finally fell asleep.

_A dark shadow was cast over the ground, darkening my sight. Barren land stretched out before me, surrounded on the outskirts by thick woods. I turned to the right, seeing Alex call out an order to a troop of vampires that flanked our side. Laurent and Victoria were easily discernible through the vast majorities of fighters. _

_A howl echoed to my right as I watched a wolf being thrown carelessly across the field. His body snapped against a tree in a sickening crunch. Snarls and hisses filled the air. Jasper zoomed past me in a blur towards Alice as she crouched down in front of a Volturi guard. _

"_Bella!" _

_I turned quickly behind me to see Jacob rushing over in my direction. His body quivered violently and soon russet hair replaced the tan skin that once covered him. My eyes quickly found the source of his worry; Demetri sped over to me, his eyes even more crimson from fresh blood. _

_I readied myself, crouching down and curling my fingers into tight fists. It was like instinct had taken over me. I flung myself at the vampire; our bodies colliding in a deafening crash that rung throughout the air. Demetri was thrown halfway across the battleground. When I turned around, Jacob was already in combat with Felix, gnashing his teeth together and growling at the low hisses that matched his tone. _

_All around me, vampires and werewolves fought to the death. Treviaron members sped past, helping where they could. I occasionally saw Verrin or Damian tearing their way through masses of Volturi guard members. But it wasn't enough. They were bruised and cut. We weren't as strong as we could have been. And it was then that I saw him._

_I saw the bright, tawny eyes amidst the fighting that surrounded us. Time stood still as I took in the bronze waves of his hair, the pale snow-white skin, the strong line of his jaw. "Edward…" I whispered. _

_He stepped in my direction, moving ever so slowly. I could see his lips moving, breathing my name. "Bella."_

_Edward took another step towards me and I to him. But a swift movement behind him caught my attention. _

_Jane._

_Her eyes sparkled with malice and I couldn't get to him soon enough. _

_Edward's body was flung to the ground as if he was nothing more than a rag doll. He convulsed and cried out in pain as Jane inflicted her power over him. A rogue wolf lunged towards my side, blocking my view of him. I grabbed hold of the wolf's fur, ripping out strands from the thick flesh as I threw him to the ground nearly twenty feet away. Edward arched his back up into the air, his fingers curling into the dirt as he screamed in sheer agony. _

_My mind was set. I saw the ruby eyes glowing back at me and there was nothing she could do to stop my motive. But as soon as I got to her, she was gone and Edward's cries were silent. _

_Breathing heavily, I spun around to find him lying lifelessly across the bloodied dirt. "Edward…" He didn't move. His eyes never blinked. They stared unseeingly towards the chaos that surrounded us, never focusing in on one single point. "Edward!" I ran to him, falling to my knees and pulling him into my lap. "Edward, look at me," I cried, running my fingers through his hair. "Please, Edward." The tears that drenched my face splashed down over his pale flesh. It was as if I was seeing him truly dead for the first time. A hawk flew overhead, casting its reflection in his blank golden eyes. And it was then that I saw the eclipse in his gaze, black and ominous as it hung high up in the sky. A broken sob burst through my lips. "Edward! Damnit, look at me!"_

_I gasped as a pained howl resonated a few feet ahead of me. Jacob was whining on the ground, desperately kicking his legs out as Felix dug his nails into Jake's fur, tearing through his flesh. _

"_Jacob…" I whispered, struck with the horror that was unfolding around me. Somewhere in the distance I heard Jasper's terrified cry and my body froze as I saw Alice being thrown by a Volturi guard. _

_What was happening?_

_I looked from Jacob and back to Edward, desperately willing myself to do something… anything. "Edward, come on. You're fine! You're still alive. Come on, Edward, look at me!" _

_Still he did not move. "This isn't supposed to happen," I sobbed, cupping his face. "Why won't you wake up? Edward! Edward!" _

"Edward!" I woke up with a start, tumbling out of my bed and smacking my forehead against the floor.

My joints were stiff, screaming in pain as I attempted to push myself up. The alarm clock on my nightstand went off in that second, screeching loudly throughout the room. I instantly grabbed it and chucked it across the floor. It shattered against the wall, but I couldn't care less. The throbbing pain in my head stabbed me from every angle.

"Bella, are you alright?"

I groaned at the sound of Renee's voice from the other side of the door, but quickly muttered a 'yes' before stumbling towards the bathroom.

The light was blinding to my eyes as I flicked the switch on. It only worsened the ache in my head, making me squint to find the blue toothbrush that sat in the glass cup by my sink. I blindly fumbled for my toothpaste and was able to brush my teeth without causing myself any more harm.

Turning the faucet on, I let the water pool into my cupped hands and splashed the cold liquid across my face. The droplets slid down my skin as I reached out for the towel that hung in the silver wall hanger by the mirror. And as I patted my face dry, I slowly looked at my reflection.

The towel slipped from my hand, knocking over the glass that sat at the edge of the sink. It shattered into glistening shards around my feet, but my gaze was transfixed on the sight before me. My hair was the same, my skin was the same as well, and my lips still curved slightly crooked in the middle. But my eyes…

My eyes were violet.

**A/N #2**: Dun, dun, dun... Again, thank you for the reviews, everyone! I wish I had more time to reply to all of you, but know that I really do read every single review :) You guys are awesome! And remember, things that I didn't explain in more detail (like Gabriel's change for instance) will be explained in the next update. Actually, there's a reason that one is explained later, but still... I'm not gypping you guys on info, I promise!

Thanks again for sticking with this story. It means a lot to me :)


	10. Ch 9: Awakening

******Disclaimer**: I own nothing in this story except for my own little plot line and any characters you may not recognize. Everything else is property of the genius Stephenie Meyer.

**A/N**: I'm SO sorry for the late update. My life is just... well... lets just say I don't want to talk about it... lol. Anyway, I'm not really going to dwell on a lot of stuff in this author's note. Whatever may confuse you, etc. will be explained later on. This was basically me trying my best to get something written for you all while I had the time. So, please bear with me here. Also, THANK YOU for the many reviews on this story. It's so good to hear from the current readers as well as some new ones. You guys are the best! XD

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**Edward's POV**:

She gasped suddenly as her small frame became rigid. Her golden eyes grew wide; her tiny hand gripping the armrest of the car door.

"Alice," Jasper called, leaning forward from the back seat of the rental car. "What is it? What do you see?"

I kept my eyes straight ahead as my hands gripped the steering wheel. The back of a black Audi was just ahead of us. It glistened beneath the small rays of sun that fought to break through the gray sky. The figures of Carlisle, Esme, Rosalie and Emmett could be easily discernible to my sight. And yet, I could only focus on the flashes of the vision running through Alice's mind.

"Paper," she muttered. "I need paper."

Jasper searched through a bag that sat on the floor, instantly producing a legal pad and pen. He placed the pad in her lap and gingerly took her right hand off of the door, curling her slim fingers around the pen. Immediately, her hand went to work, moving back and forth, up and down, sideways, diagonally… Yet her eyes were still staring off in the distance – blank.

A dark cave entered my mind. Torches lined the walls, flickering their fiery glow around the blackened, hollow space. A man moved swiftly within the shadows. I didn't recognize him but I distinctly saw the soft glow of his violet eyes as he passed beneath a flaming torch.

The vision changed, revealing the back of a woman with blonde hair. I couldn't see the features of her face as she turned around. Every line and detail seemed blurred, fuzzy even, except for her violet gaze. I breathed in sharply, feeling a burning ache within my chest. For somewhere in the back of my mind, I felt like I had known this woman. But who was she?

"Edward," a musical voice spoke. I turned to my right to see Alice's golden eyes shining up at me. "Are you okay?"

"Yes," I muttered, swallowing thickly as I placed my eyes back on the road.

"You saw her didn't you?" she questioned.

I nodded; not entirely understanding why my heart felt like it was breaking in two.

Alice leaned back in her seat, her mind troubled. "I felt like I knew her too."

"Who's that?" Jasper asked, pointing to the drawn picture of a man's face, the same man that I had seen in Alice's vision.

"I don't know," she whispered, lightly running her fingers over the paper.

I turned to look down at the drawing as Jasper lazily stroked Alice's short hair, picking up the pad with his other hand. We both scrutinized the work together. The man wore his hair down, the dark tresses reaching the tops of his shoulders. His face was sharp, lined with distinct, high cheekbones. His eyes were piercing, nearly staring right through us from the white page. And a thin necklace dressed with an odd pendant hung from around his neck.

"His eyes were violet," Alice muttered, moving her gaze out the window as she pursed her lips.

Blindly, I reached for my cell phone as we continued our way to the airport. The phone only rang once before I could hear him on the other line.

"Carlisle," I murmured, my voice low and hoarse to my own ears. "Pull over."

~*~*~*~

**Bella's POV**:

Violet. Foreign.

It was as if deep purple ink had dripped into each eye, bleeding its pigment into every small line that was embedded in the iris, coating the once chocolate brown that stained my gaze. My eyes were tainted – defected.

Silence enveloped the small bathroom, making the harsh breaths that issued from my nostrils sound ominous as I continued to stare at the stranger before me.

Slowly, I reached forward, as if in a daze. My fingers trembled ever so slightly as they inched closer to the mirror, finally pressing against the cold glass. I blinked, watching how my reflection did the same. Stilling my breath, I retreated my hand from the cool surface and back towards my face. As soon as I felt the small pads of my fingers press gently against my cheek, a tiny sob burst through my lips, shattering the deadly silence that had once coated the room. I could taste the salt on my tongue as hot tears slipped down my skin.

This isn't me. This had to be a dream. But no matter how much I told myself to wake up, my eyes remained open and staring at the new stranger before me. Through all the terrors I had gone through, nearly dying on several occasions, caught in the midst of a fight between vampires, and losing the one person I had ever loved, nothing compared to this. I was no longer familiar with myself anymore and that frightened me more than anything.

"Bella," Renee called through the bedroom door. "Hurry up, you're going to be late!"

I jumped, stumbling back until the sharp edge of broken glass sliced through the heel of my foot. A sharp hiss seethed through my clenched teeth as I winced in pain. I bent over, slowly descending to the floor on my hands and knees.

_Here we go_, I thought to myself. The smell of sour blood began to slowly drift up from my foot and I braced myself for the impending nausea that was soon to take over. I shut my eyes, grimacing as the pain escalated. And then the most curious thing happened.

The pain was gone.

The smell of blood no longer tainted the air.

I opened my eyes and slowly turned to look down at the gaping wound that surely decorated the fair skin, but there was nothing to be found except a faint pink line. Shocked, I reached out to trace the tiny mark. It was as if the wound had scarred over in the mere seconds that I had been on the floor. My eyes danced around the glistening shards of glass and the bright crimson blood that stained the white, tiled floor. Yet, there was no evidence of the event on my foot with the exception of a scar that was weeks old.

I didn't understand it.

"Bella, are you in there? You're going to be late for school!" Renee persisted, banging on my door once more.

"I'll be down in a second," I called back, my voice barely reaching the level of my mother's. How I even managed to choke out the words were beyond me, but in that moment I shakily pulled myself together and set to work on cleaning up the mess that littered my bathroom floor.

The glass was first. I gingerly picked up the crystal fragments and carefully disposed of them, all while concentrating on not looking into the mirror. I didn't want to see myself again. Not with those eyes. Instead, my mind began to wander; remembering the visions of my nightmare. It had felt so real and yet I hardly knew any of the people in my dream. I didn't know who Jane, Felix or Demetri were and yet I did. It was the most peculiar feeling. And still, the hair on the back of neck stood every time I thought of them.

The Volturi wanted me. Why, I wasn't sure, but I had a feeling that being able to pick out a few of the guards without ever seeing them wasn't just a coincidence.

As I walked back into my room, my gaze fell on the red numbers on the alarm clock, glowing up from the bedroom floor where I had thrown it earlier. It was 7:15 a.m. I had exactly fifteen minutes to get to school.

There wasn't time to rummage through my drawers for a nice pair of jeans. I didn't have the opportunity to take a brush to my hair or give myself one last glance in the mirror before I left. Sweats and a black hoodie were neatly folded at the bottom of my closet. I hastily threw them on and grabbed a pair of sunglasses on my way out the door.

Course wisps of my chesnut hair flew out of the hood that covered most of the tangled mess as I hurried down the stairs. My glasses would be enough to cover my eyes for now, but eventually I'd have to tell Renee and Phil something.

Two pieces of toast popped out of the toaster just as I entered the kitchen. I didn't have to time to dawdle and listen to my mother's inquiries. Nor did I want to stay and listen to them.

"Bella, why are you wearing sunglasses in the house?" she asked, setting her coffee mug down noisily on the counter.

I grabbed the two pieces of toast and stuffed my mouth full of the crusty bread as I headed for the front door. "I'll be in later," I called out, half chewing my breakfast as I sped out into the sunlit morning. At least my wearing sunglasses was somewhat justified.

Renee didn't bother running after me like I half expected her to. Not that I was complaining or anything. The last thing I needed was for her to hold me up and make me explain my behavior.

How could I explain what I was feeling when I didn't even know what I was going through?

The parking lot was full as I crossed through the cars to get to the front entrance. I could feel the wind pick up, blowing my hood down around my shoulders.

"So, it happened," a familiar voice uttered from behind me. The deep accent chilled my skin, causing me to shiver as I turned to see Damian leaning up against the back of a silver Aston Martin. His eyes pierced right through me.

"What?" I asked, instantly taking a step back.

Verrin climbed out of the backseat of the sleek Bond vehicle and began skipping her way over to me. "Let me see, Bella! Take off the glasses."

"Shhh!" I hissed, stepping back even more as she almost collided into me. Damian grinned from behind her and I felt my jaw tighten in distaste.

"Oh come on, Bella," Verrin whined. "Just one peek."

I sighed, wishing she would just go away and knowing that it was a lost cause to even think that. Slowly, I took off the glasses, hoping that maybe she would frown and tell me that my eyes were their normal color. But instead she gasped in response and I watched glumly as a smile spread across her face. "It happened," she breathed, immediately grabbing my hand. "Come on, we're not going to school today."

"Wait… what?"

I should have been tripping haphazardly across the concrete as she yanked me along, but I was surprisingly keeping up with her.

Damian whirled around and climbed into the driver's seat. It wasn't until I had been pushed into the back that I saw Alex sitting up front. A sharp grimace painted his face but he did little to acknowledge my presence.

"What about our teachers?" I asked, turning back to look at the school as we drove away. "Won't they know we're not here?"

"Don't worry," Verrin chided, a knowing glance resonating from her violet eyes. "I've taken care of it." And if I was being honest with myself, I knew far too well how she could meddle her way out of things. The memory of her controlling Mr. Matthews' mind flashed before me. I cringed in my seat and turned to look out the window.

"Gabriel will be very pleased," Damian murmured. His piercing gaze flashed up to the rearview mirror, locking with my own. And for a moment I was lost. There was nothing but a sea of amethyst waves filling my mind, clouding my sight.

_You're the one, Bella. You must do as we tell you, or all will be lost. _

His voice invaded every fiber of my being. It was unwelcome and yet I couldn't escape the sultry tone that coated his accented words.

_He'll die. _

_Blood._ It was freshly splattered over the pale skin. No longer was Damian's voice echoing in my mind, but now I saw what he saw. _Flashes of snow-white skin radiated before me. I could see the square-like jaw of the victim. His eyes were open. They were soft, golden and staring up at the sky with the sense that he had found peace at last. Yet, the sickly bitter scent of blood flowed through my senses as I watched the scarlet liquid trickle down his neck. My heart constricted painfully. Edward. _

_And then I saw him. I saw whose blood was now sprayed across Edward's body as if someone had taken a paintbrush, flicking the colored ink to create a stunningly morbid piece of art. The large, tanned hand was laying palm up against the ground near Edward's head. Another flash of bright light brought me to the new gaze – a deep, earthly brown. _

_Jacob._

_A childish laugh filled the air, its sharp tone vibrating each nerve beneath my skin. That's when I saw her again – the Jane character from my nightmare. There was no mistaking her for anyone else. I knew the demonic smile, the tight red lips, the glistening ruby eyes tucked into translucent, ghostly skin. When she looked at me, she saw nothing but my pain._

_And she relished in it. _

_She'll find you, Isabella Swan_, Damian's voice echoed in my mind. _She won't stop until everything you once cared about is destroyed._

I jerked with a start, gasping for breath as my lungs desperately searched for the oxygen to keep me alive. Darkness surrounded me and for the first time, I realized that I was no longer in the backseat of Damian's car. The smooth, velvet material of a Victorian couch collided with the pads of my fingertips. I rubbed the fabric absently while searching my surroundings. A soft orange glow caught my attention from the far wall and I leaned forward from my spot, watching the flames inside the fireplace crackle as they whipped into the air.

My gaze shifted to glance through the black shadows of the room, passing over ever square inch of darkness, until my focus zoomed in on a pair of glowing violet eyes. I gasped and sat up straighter, swinging my legs over the side of the couch.

"Sorry to frighten you, little one," Gabriel murmured. "It was not my intention."

My breathing was erratic, flowing out in sharp hisses as I blinked furiously in my moment of blind panic. I swallowed thickly, trying to regain my control. "Where's Verrin? What about Damian and Alex?"

Gabriel chuckled softly in the obscure blanket of night that seemed to coat the room. "They're upstairs, my dear and will come down to join us shortly. I apologize for Damain's little mind games. He doesn't seem to know when to quit sometimes, but I know he means well."

"Upstairs?" I huffed, still trying to calm my breathing, all while trying to forget anything and everything having to do with Damian's vision. "Where are we?"

"We're in the basement. This is where I hold my most important meetings." The innuendo behind his words made it clear to me that this was a place for more than just _"meetings."_

He moved slightly and despite the offending shroud of black, I could easily see the outline of his hands as he gingerly clasped them over his lap.

"So, you've decided to join us I see."

"No," I stated firmly, shaking my head as if that alone would rid the hideous violet color from my eyes. "I didn't decide on anything." My voice trembled as I clutched the edge of the couch, locking my gaze with his. "You said I had a choice."

"You did, Bella," he countered, appraising me with what seemed to be admiration. "And you've made your choice."

"You son of bitch!" The words flew out of my mouth before I could stop myself. I sprang to life, instantly standing before him with my hands clenched at either side of my waist. "You lied to me! I didn't ask for this!"

Gabriel remained unnerved. The only part of him that actually moved, were his eyes. They followed my every advance. "That's exactly what I had said to Lukas the instant I realized that I was like him."

I stared hard at him, my anger never diminishing. "You told me you left to go stay with them. That sounds like a choice to me," I seethed.

"It wasn't a choice, Bella. I never had a choice when it came to that moment." He casually brought his clasped hands up to cover his mouth as he rested his elbows on either side of the chair. I watched him lazily trace lines with his lips as he brushed them back and forth over the tanned skin of his thumbs. His eyes were now staring off in the black abyss that stood behind us.

"I had come home quite unsettled from the encounter with Lukas. I was angry. Shaking. My mother had asked me what was wrong." He paused, as if remembering the event in perfect clarity. "She took my face in her hands. I can still remember their warmth…" he whispered. "But all I could see was the Hekate statue sitting on the floor behind her. I began yelling at her, not because I was angry with her, but because I was frightened for her, for my family. What I had experienced that afternoon was beyond my imagination. I wasn't capable of fully accepting it and here my mother was, acting like one of those obsessed worshippers, believing in something that I thought to be false. I screamed at her and she would scream back. She accused me of some demon; that it was the only explanation for my behavior and why I wouldn't pray with her and the rest of the family."

I pursed my lips, feeling my anger slowly begin to diminish as I watched him stare across the room; transfixed. The soft murmurs of a different language whispered past his lips. The words were unfamiliar to me but I had a feeling they were of a Greek dialect. "What does that mean?" I murmured quietly.

He was silent for a few moments, his eyes glazing over with the memories of his past. "You are not my son."

I stared at him in shock and for the life of me, I couldn't figure out what to say or do next. So I stood there, waiting for him to react first.

"As soon as she said it, she started screaming," he breathed. "I was too stunned to even respond to her hysterics until she started muttering about eyes of a monster. I caught my reflection in a broken mirror that sat against a table on the other side of the room. The long crack in the glass distorted my face, making me into the monstrosity that she believed was inside of me. But when the glass caught the reflection of my eyes, I felt as if the world had stopped. I couldn't hear the screams issuing from my dear mother's lips. There was nothing but the sight of violet before me. That's when I left. That's when I turned my back on my family. Forever."

"You see, Bella, it's not a matter of whether we say yes or no. Our bodies, our minds, our souls," he stated, standing up suddenly; his gaze level with mine. "Our _souls_ must make that decision. Mere words won't do it. Lukas shook my hand that day and when he did that, he instilled a dormant power that only I could activate. It could have taken minutes, or days, or even years for it to happen, but when my mother voiced her opinion of me… the emotion that I felt was far greater than anything I had felt in my entire existence. It was in that moment that I had changed."

"_Don't worry, little one," he breathed. "It's not painful, nor is it something that you have to endure for a length of time. We don't chant or perform some ceremony, nor do we have you drink something or any of that other nonsense." He then turned to me, a small smile curving his lips. I watched, perplexed, as he stood and moved towards me, outstretching his hand. "Think of it as a gift, Bella."_

I stumbled backwards, expelling a large gust of breath as my gaze fell to the floor.

"You chose to become like one of us during your nightmare, Bella," he continued. "The emotions you had were so strong that the power I gave you went from a slow, burning ember, to a fiery, bursting flame. You made your own choice. I merely gave you the incentive to do so."

The fire was warm against my back as I sank to the floor, hugging my knees tightly to my chest. I stared unseeingly towards the Persian rug that covered the ground. The intricate design of a snake twisting its body into a spring-like shape sat beneath my feet. His red tongue was lashing out, as if he was in pain; constricting.

"You knew," I whispered. "You didn't tell me the reason you had changed because then I would know how to stop it."

Gabriel crouched before me. A piece of his jet-black hair fell over the bright lavender crystals of his eyes. "You wouldn't have been able to stop it, Bella. Only merely prevented it from happening now. I knew when I shook your hand exactly how it would happen. So did Verrin, Alex, and Damian. Every person or our order knew."

I nodded, feeling the tears blur my vision in a watery haze. "Who's Jane?" I breathed; the familiar hauntingly sanguine gaze floating through my mind.

Gabriel stared at me, his jaw tightening sharply. "She's part of the Volturi."

"And Demetri?" I asked, raising my head slightly to look up at him. "Felix? They're all part of the Volturi as well?" I knew I was right, but I needed to hear the words from his lips. I needed to know that I wasn't completely going insane.

"Yes."

My nails tore at the cotton fabric that covered my knees as I clutched them tightly. "How do I know them?"

He sighed and I watched with uncertainty as he stared past me and into the vibrant, burning flames. "You know them, because you are destined to destroy them."

I swallowed hard, unable to truly deny his words because I knew in my dream that the moment I saw Jane torture Edward, I had wanted nothing more than to rip her body into shreds. My fingers twitched even now with the sheer memory of it.

"So what happens now?" I asked, training my eyes on his as he moved to stand before me.

"Now, we get you accustomed to our ways. We teach you; train you to be like one of us. And then we will put you on your first assignment."

His fingers idly toyed with a silver pendant that he had magically produced in his hands. I watched the metal glisten from the reflected light of the flames. He suddenly tossed it to me and I snatched the necklace with ease, studying the small snake and torch charm that sat snuggly in the palm of my hand.

"Bella," Gabriel began, walking back over to the chair where he had once sat. "How do you feel about going back to Forks?"


	11. Ch 10: Never Turning Back

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing in this story except for my own little plot line and any characters you may not recognize. Everything else is property of the genius Stephenie Meyer.

**A/N**: I just want to say THANK YOU for the hugimous (I know that's not a word, don't judge) response that you all have given me for the last chapter. You all are truly amazing and I can't thank you enough for sticking with this story. As a little personal gift, I have made a new video for the story and it is in my profile titled, "Secret Prophecies Trailer 3." Alright, enough of that. I'll let you get to reading ;)

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**Bella's POV**:

There is a world of green where the trees stretch up to the sky and the grass coats the ground like a thick, emerald blanket. Where the average rainfall every year is over one hundred inches. It is a place where the sun barely exposes its burning rays. There is no heat, no endless summer days – only clouds, moisture, and _pain_. I felt the tears obscure my sight as a familiar white mansion appeared in my mind.

Forks.

Did I really want to go back there?

Gabriel sat across from me, his eyes like two glistening amethyst crystals. The facets sparked tiny rays of light in the darkness.

"What you're asking of me," I breathed, hugging my knees tighter to my chest. "Is something that I promised myself I would never do. Ever."

"Not even to see your father?" he mused.

I glanced up at him, recalling the conversation that I had with Charlie a few months ago.

_The Seattle Airport was more crowded than usual. Businessmen in designer suits briskly walked down the terminal, speaking on their phones and haphazardly pulling their suitcases behind them. A little boy squealed as he ran past, being chased by his mother as she yelled, "Andy, stop this right now!" Two teenage girls stood off by the women's restroom, popping their bright pink gum and staring at the passerbys as if to size them up, no doubt commenting on how much better they looked. Several passengers sat in their different sections, waiting for the flights and downing massive amounts of overly priced caffeine while typing away on their blackberries or laptops. The place was full of life._

_And yet I wasn't. My body, my mind, my soul was gone. Obliterated. I was an empty shell maneuvering through the masses, wondering if anyone seemed to notice me or truly even cared._

"_Now Bells," Charlie insisted, taking my carryon bag from my hand. "If you want to come back, all you have to do is call."_

"_I'll be fine in Jacksonville," I assured him. "Trust me."_

"_Well, just keep the idea in mind, alright?"_

_I nodded, keeping my eyes straight ahead, scanning the overhead signs for gate B20. I cautiously moved aside as a family of five went running past us, probably late for their flight._

"_I wish you would stay," Charlie continued, desperately trying to get me to turn around and leave the airport with him. "Billy and Jake hate to see you leave. And Sue was planning on having a barbeque tonight with everyone on the rez. You'll be missing out on a lot of fun – "_

"_Dad." I sighed, stopping in the middle of the terminal to face Charlie's forlorn gaze. "I need to do this. I can't stay in Forks with you anymore. There're just… too many bad memories."_

"_Oh…" His face fell even further and I hurriedly covered my misuse of words. _

"_Not with you," I whispered. "You know why I can't be there right now."_

_Charlie nodded, forcing a small grin for me. "Alright, Bells."_

_We stood there, looking everywhere but at each other. I hated to leave him but it just didn't feel right to expose him to my downfall, for however long that may be. _

"_Delta Airlines flight 1668 departing for Jacksonville, Florida at eleven a.m. is now boarding." The feminine voice echoed throughout the area and I watched as people began shuffling towards the sound._

_With a heavy sigh, Charlie placed his hand on my shoulder and steered me in the direction of my gate. "Let's get you back home."_

The sound of the fire crackling in the background slowly brought me out of my daze. "It was just always understood that if I were to see him, he'd come to visit me here. At least… until I was ready."

"Ready for what?" Gabriel asked quietly, though he already knew the answer to his question.

"Ready for me to face my past. To finally be over it." _Finally_ was such a definite term. It made my stomach churn.

"You'll never be over it, Bella. Everything we go through in life happens for a reason," he murmured. "The good times, the bad… the days that you feel the most alive and the days that you wish you could die. Every little thread in our lives weaves a million emotions that you elicit every moment. They'll never be forgotten. And no matter how much you wish that you would never think of him again, you always will."

A stray tear slid down my face as his words began to sink in.

"Edward Cullen will always be apart of you, dear one. Just as you will always be apart of him."

"_You're not good for me, Bella,"_ Edward whispered in my mind, taunting me with his words that fateful day. I could still feel the soft cool breeze sweeping past me as he left.

I shut my eyes tightly, releasing a few more tears to stream down my face. "You're wrong," I whimpered.

A sudden tingling sensation began to work its way up my arms, dancing over my skin. I glanced up at Gabriel questioningly.

"You'll always know when one of our kind is drawing near," he answered, a knowing smile gracing his stoic features.

The sound of rushing footsteps met my ears as I turned to see the rest of the Rigas family making their way towards me.

"He's not wrong," Verrin told me as she walked over to the couch. "You're the wrong one." She shot me a pointed glance but I chose to ignore it, knowing full well what she was talking about.

"Are you going to go to Forks?" Damian asked, walking over to lean against the fireplace.

It was a question that was on everyone's mind, with an answer that I was far too reluctant to unleash. Ever since the day that I watched Edward leave... the day where I just let him go, haunted me. Every minute of every day, every nightmare in my mind, was all centered around the icy coldness of his words. _"It will be as if I'd never existed."_ I didn't want to go back to Forks and I'm sure I'd be saying the same thing twenty years from now... if life had decided to not play such a cruel game with me. I sighed, wishing that if I just closed my eyes everything would disappear. "I guess I don't have a choice."

Alex scoffed from across the room and I turned, taken aback by his reaction. "How do we even know that she's the one?" he asked, directing his question to Gabriel. "She's so damned ignorant about all of this! This mission means everything to our kind and here she is too scared to go through with this because of a broken heart."

I was on my feet and stalking over to him before he could even blink. "You self righteous bastard! What is it about me that you hate? Huh? Ever since we first met in the library, you didn't like me. God, you remind me of Rosalie," I huffed, crossing my arms defiantly.

His violet eyes lit with pure anger and if I wasn't feeling the same fury, I might have been frightened. "How dare you compare me to _that_!" he spat. "To even _think_ that I would stoop so low as to behave like that demon – that disgusting filth."

The back of my hand connected with the side of his face, extracting a deafening slap that echoed around the room as he was flung to the ground. Rosalie certainly was not the first person I ever thought to defend, but she was part of the Cullen family. And _all _of them were family to _me_.

"Get up," I growled, feeling the rage bubbling inside of me. The fact that I seemed to obviously be ten times stronger hadn't even fazed me. I could only focus on how wonderful it would feel to punch his face in. "I said, get up."

"Well, well," Catherine mused, her eyes dancing with delight as she walked to Gabriel's side. "We finally meet the true Isabella."

"Get up!" I commanded again; my gaze fixed on the man whose cut lip had instantly scabbed over before my eyes. It only made me want to inflict more scars upon his skin. Never in my life had I been able to feel so much rage and actually be able to release it. It was invigorating.

Alex was on his feet quickly, readying himself for my next attack. "Are you just going to let her do this to me?" he demanded of his family all while keeping his eyes trained on my livid form.

"Why not?" Damian asked lazily, watching the event unfold in amusement. "You've deserved this from the beginning, brother. I'll do nothing but watch."

"Should I make some popcorn?" Verrin chirped.

Alex growled in frustration, causing his sister to turn to him. "Is that a yes?"

"Verrin," Gabriel muttered warningly, but I could hear the bemused tone that hid within the depths of his voice. "Don't make me remind you to put butter on it this time."

"What is wrong with you all!" Alex roared, looking at each member of his family as if they had grown a second head. Which at this rate wouldn't surprise me. Still, I kept my ground.

"What's wrong," Gabriel countered, his voice equally as challenging as he strode briskly towards Alex. "Is that _you_ have been blind to everything that has been happening. You chose to not see the path that is in front of us."

"I see nothing but a normal girl, who is – "

"She _is_ our path!" Gabriel thundered, stepping forward until his face was inches away from Alex. "We follow her! She is the one who will help us win this war!"

_Gee guys, no pressure or anything_. I began to back up, idly wondering if what Alex was saying was right. I was normal, plain, and…

"I'll prove it," Gabriel sneered, stalking off to the darkest corner of the room. "Everyone follow me!"

"Come on, Bella," Verrin whispered in my ear as she hooked her arm with mine. She still wore the Alice façade and I couldn't find it in my heart to have her change. I think she always knew that too. It was evident in her wink as we moved to a long wooden staircase that wound up to the upper level.

It was black as pitch in the narrow stairwell and yet I could still see every minute detail around me as we neared a large, heavy oak door that led to the first floor of their home. With a wave of his hand, Gabriel sent the door flying open, causing it to crash against the wall loudly. The sound seemed to reverberate throughout the house, gently shaking the floor beneath our feet.

The five of us followed him through a small corridor before entering a large dining area. I only had seconds to gaze in awe at the fresco decorating the ceiling before Verrin shoved me into the next largest room. The living room – the place where I was told of my fate.

Gabriel moved quickly, his stride determined. "She who is born a mortal but who does not belong to that world," he stated, reciting part of the prophecy. "Will show her true self when Twilight taints the sky." Instantly, he grabbed the two cream-colored drapes that covered one of the many windows in the room, yanking them open to expose the setting sun. The brilliancy of the different hues that painted the sky startled me and I gasped as I felt my body begin to tremble.

"Close your eyes, Isabella," he ordered me. "And no matter what happens, do _not_ open them until I say so."

I shut my eyes, a sense of foreboding thick in the air. A sharp whistling noise sounded off ahead of me. I could hear it getting closer, louder. Whatever was causing the noise was moving faster, cutting through the air. There was no time to think, I had to stop whatever this _thing_ was. It was as if my body had given itself over to instinct. For in that moment, I reached both arms up to block the object in a blindingly fast motion. My hands clapped on either side of a thin, metal entity and as fast as I had caught it, I let my right hand throw it back from where it came, all while keeping my eyes tightly shut.

Silence seemed to engulf me and for a while I wondered if I was the only one left in the room.

"Bella," Gabriel's soft voice called. "You can open your eyes now."

Blinking rapidly, I scanned the room until I found Gabriel standing between two floor-length windows. To his right was the handle of a blade - a blade that I had thrown which now pierced the wall inches away from his head. He grinned proudly in my direction. "Well done."

I gaped at him for several minutes, trying to absorb what I was seeing. _What the hell did I just do?_

Alex staggered forward, his mouth slack as he violet eyes grew wide. "She's it..." he murmured.

"You see this dagger, Bella?" Gabriel questioned as he grabbed a hold of the handle, setting the blade free. With another wave of his hand, the indentation in the wall was no more. "This belonged to Lukas. It has been passed down from leader to leader for as long as the Guardiani de Trevia has existed."

"But I don't understand," I breathed, nervously running a hand through my hair. "How does that explain that I'm different from the rest of you? I mean… I threw a blade… with my eyes closed. I – Oh my God, I threw a blade with my eyes closed!"

Gabriel chuckled at my reaction but I couldn't find anything funny in it at all. I almost killed him! "I think I need to sit."

Catherine walked up swiftly behind me; directing me to the rich, velvet couch I had sat on once before during Gabriel's ominous discussions.

He crouched down before me, a few strands of onyx hair falling over his shimmering gaze. And for a moment I thought I saw a little bit of Carlisle shining through his eyes. "What makes you different is that you touched this dagger."

I stared at him, bewildered.

"Only a leader can touch this, Bella. Not a single person in the order can touch this but me… and you."

"Which means that you really are the chosen one," Damian breathed, his voice thick with emotion as he kneeled before me.

"What, so you doubted me too?" I screeched, becoming suddenly overwhelmed and waiting any minute for the room to start spinning.

Verrin was pulling me up by her side within seconds. "Ok, that's enough. I think we've exposed Bella to far more than need be for one day. Let's just take one thing at a time, alright? I'm going to take her up to my room and go over the details of Forks."

_Forks_. I had forgotten about that already.

"Yes, that's a good idea," Gabriel agreed, shooting a glance to Catherine. She nodded and turned towards me, a soft smile gracing her full lips.

"Bella," she called sweetly. "I'm just going to phone your mother and tell her that you'll be spending the night here with Verrin. Is that okay?"

Somehow, I was able to respond to her but I'm sure it wasn't very coherent in the slightest. Alex's wide violet eyes caught my sight and the absolute regret that was there tugged at my heart. In that moment, I realized that he was silently making his apology. It startled me.

"Come on, Bella." Verrin tugged me back down the hallway, breaking my gaze with her brother, and again I was met with the ornately decorated dining area whose glittering ceiling shone down over us.

"Where are we going again?" I questioned, trying to catch a glimpse of the elaborate fresco.

"My room."

Two feminine figures stood facing each other across the ceiling. One holding a torch, the other holding what looked to be a cornucopia. I tugged back on Verrin's hand, stepping further into the dining room. "Who are they?" I asked, pointing towards the figures high above.

Verrin stood beside of me, mirroring my gaze. "Well, I assume you know which one is Hekate. The other one is Demeter, the Goddess of Agriculture and the Guardian of Marriage. Have you heard of the story of her daughter, Persephone?"

Somewhere, in the back of my mind, I knew that I had heard of that name before, probably in some class that didn't keep my attention. "Maybe, but I don't remember."

"Persephone is the Goddess of Fertility. She was out in the field one day, picking flowers. Hades, the God of the Underworld, saw her and became entranced by her. He stole her away, taking her to the depths of his world. Determined to find her daughter, Demeter set out in search for her. There are many versions of the story, one portraying Hermes as the rescuer of Persephone, but in this version," she said, gesturing towards the painting. "Hekate guided Demeter with the light of her torches. She was the one who brought Persephone back from the Underworld."

"So, she was free?"

"No," Verrin sighed. "Persephone had become Queen of the Underworld when Hades kidnapped her. Again, there are many versions, some containing this whole thing where she ate pomegranate seeds, but the point is," she spoke quickly. "Is that Persephone was allowed to be on Earth for a certain amount of time and then she went back down to the Underworld for a certain amount of time. Hekate is the one who guides her through her journey there and back again."

I stared in wonder at the forlorn figure of Demeter searching Hekate's knowing gaze desperately, begging for her help.

"In a way, we're guiding you too, Bella."

Her gaze was sincere as I turned to her. Every insecurity that I had felt for the past eighteen years seemed bubble to the surface, humming beneath my skin. And in that moment, the uncertainty of myself became evident in my voice. "But can I guide you?" I whispered, fearful of the challenges that faced me.

Verrin smiled, her violet gaze shimmering. "I have faith that you can," she murmured. "Now come on."

Her hand was on mine instantly and again I was whisked off through the house as she led me to her room.

Verrin stayed on the fourth level, the highest floor in the mansion. Her room was probably the size of all of the Cullens' bedrooms combined. Pale blue walls enclosed the large area. A four-poster bed ordained with a white fishnet canopy sat on the far end. Like the rest of the rooms in the house, a marble fireplace was already alight with a burning glow, warming the room from the other side of her bed. Shelves upon shelves of books covered the opposite end of the room, the majority of the bindings unlabeled. I stared at them quizzically, about to ask her what sort of books those were when I saw her walk across the way to retrieve the diary that I had found in my room. She took it out of her bag and placed it in the bookshelf.

"Those are your diaries," I whispered.

"Over a thousand of them." She sighed, staring at the forgotten books longingly. It made me wonder if I would ever fill as many pages as she did. "You will," she responded, turning to me with a small smile.

"You heard me?"

"I choose to hear what I want, Bella. As of late, I've been hearing you."

She walked over to her bed and allowed her body to collapse across the pillowy, white duvet. I watched as she patted the spot beside of her and quickly leapt up onto the mattress, already feeling sleep consume my mind.

Verrin sat up, crossing her legs, and gazed down at me – a forlorn expression on her pixie-like face. "I know you're afraid to go back, Bella."

Groaning, I flung my arm over my face, hiding my eyes in a shadow of night. "Do we have to talk about this?" I huffed.

"Yes," she muttered.

"But why so soon?"

When she didn't answer me right away, I lifted my arm away from my eyes. Her gaze was both anxious and worried. It made me feel uneasy. "Why do we need to talk about it so soon, Verrin?"

"Because," she sighed. "Before the week is up, you're going to be enrolled in Forks High School."

I darted up into a sitting position, my back straight as I felt my muscles tense. "What?"

"Things have already been set in motion, Bella. The Cullens are on their way back to Forks. From what Gabriel can tell, Aro has given them time to decide on whether or not they will help them in this fight. What we need you to do right now is to watch them."

"You want me to spy on the Cullens?"

"Yes."

A loud maniacal laugh erupted from my lips. Verrin's eyes were wide with alarm as I continued to giggle uncontrollably. "You think that's going to work, do you?" I questioned, getting up from the bed. My mind was already in overdrive as I began to pace the floor.

"Alice will know that I'll be coming, not to mention I can't exactly spy on them looking like this. And if that's not a big enough problem, I still have my scent. They'll all smell me as soon as I walk on the school grounds."

Verrin nodded, but never moved from her position on the bed. "True, but your scent is different now. I mean, you still smell like you did when you were human, but it's a dramatically toned down version of it. Basically, it's enough to get them to pay attention to you, which is what we want."

"And Alice?" I blurted out, already horrified that they would know I was there by my scent. What if they didn't want anything to do with me?

"Alice can't really see you, Bella."

This halted my pacing. I felt as if all of the muscles in my body constricted as a unit, freezing me in time. "What do you mean?" I breathed, my gaze fixed to the floor.

"As soon as you changed, your future to her had gone fuzzy. She won't be able to be as in tune with you as she once was."

I felt my heart begin to shred ever so slowly and the pain did little to ease the suffering of being separated from this family that I had loved so dearly.

"Bella, I'm sorry," Verrin murmured. "In any case, to answer your question on your appearance, you're going to change like me. You'll have to disguise yourself. But that means…" She bit her lip hesitantly, and the overwhelming silence seemed to engulf my mind. Deep down, I knew what she was about to say next. I held up a hand, stopping her from opening her mouth once more. "Don't," I pleaded.

"Bella..."

"Don't tell me."

"Bella, you can't stay with Charlie."

I spun around to her quickly, the ends of my hair feathering across my face. "Dammit, Verrin."

"You're apart of us now. And to be apart of us, Bella, is to be a secret. No one is to know of your true identity. Not Charlie or Renee. Not even Phil." She heaved a heavy sigh, pinching the bridge of her noise tightly. "Bella, you're immortal now. You can't stay with them anymore."

The rapid beating of my heart was deafening to my ears as I stared at her; bewildered, lost. Yet, somehow it all seemed unavoidable.

"It would have been the same if Edward had changed you," she reasoned.

"But I would have been prepared!" I cried out, feeling hot tears cloud my sight. "I would have had time! You're telling me that I have to virtually say goodbye to my family within the next few days? I'm not ready yet!"

"You'll never be ready!" Verrin yelled back, her eyes pleading as she got up and walked towards me, gripping my arms. "You will _never_ be ready for this moment, Bella." And the emotion that echoed in her voice as her fingers pressed tightly against my skin told me that she had been ripped away from her family as well. We stood staring at each other for what felt like hours while the warm fluid continued to stream down my cheeks.

"I wish you didn't look like her so damn much," I muttered, pulling free of Verrin's grasp. "But, I'm glad that you do. You remind me so much of her."

She smiled sadly as I dropped to the floor, leaning my head up against the wall and allowing the last of my tears to escape. "I used to know Alice Cullen," she said, lowering herself to the floor as well.

"You did?"

She nodded, resting her chin in her hand. "Back when she was known as Mary Alice Brandon."

My eyes widened as I lifted my head away from the wall. "You knew her as a human?"

"Before she was even put in the asylum," Verrin answered. "Her family lived beside of us. She knew we were different but never said anything about it to anyone. I used to go out and walk with her in the woods behind our home." Her gaze locked onto mine and for a moment I truly thought I was looking at Alice for the first time in what felt like years. "She had a vision about you, you know. She never knew when she'd meet you but it was "destiny" as she liked to call it. It was during the same time that she started to get bits and pieces of the Cullens in her visions. Not that she really knew it was them. They were blurry to her at the time, but she saw you clear as day with them. She actually helped us in looking out for you, Bella."

I let out a breath that I hadn't realized I had been holding. _Verrin knew Alice? And Alice knew as a human that she would be meeting me?_ It was all too much to add on top of the very insane and possibly imaginary day that my brain just decided to create from my inevitable lunacy.

"I feel like I'm losing my mind," I muttered, burying my face in my hands. Yet the pain was still there in my chest and was very, undeniably real. I sighed, leaning back up against the wall and allowing my gaze to settle on the many journals that sat across the room. "When does it go away?"

"What?" she asked softly.

"The pain. The hell that I've been living through for my entire life."

She watched me for several minutes before finally answering; her voice was low - almost a whisper. "Eventually, it will fade with time. The heartache you feel now will diminish as years go by, but I can assure you, Bella, that you won't feel this way for long."

I scoffed but made no move to verbally respond to her statement, because every fiber of my being hoped that the last part of it was true. But for now, I allowed myself to retreat into the recesses of my mind, where everything was dark and void of the thousands of emotions that fought to break free. For now, I let myself become a dormant shell, waiting for the sun to finally rise over the horizon as I slowly closed my eyes.

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**A/N #2**: So... possible Forks in the next update? Perhaps? Maybe? ;) I'm evil, I know... lol. More will be explained on the Forks plan, Bella saying goodbye to her family, and all that jazz in the next chapter as well. AND, a certain someone (and no, I'm not giving you a clue as to who it is) will be making an appearance. Hmmmm.... ;)

Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed the update. It's certainly not the best thing I've written, but I hope it was still readable. Again, thank you for all of the reviews! :D

Also, and I don't ever do this, but I've got to rec a few fics from some amazingly talented writers.

"Bloodlust" by kalejay - For those of you who read "Out of My Mind," she's my co-author ;) So, go read it. :P

"Collide" by twi-ction - Brilliant plot! It's all human and entirely enjoyable to read :D

"The Life and Death of Edward Masen" by Obsessively-Infatuated - Definitely different from any Edward story I've read before. It's her first multi-chaptered fic and it's incredibly well written for a beginning writer.

Mkay, enough of that. I'll try to update soon, guys! ;)


	12. Ch 11:You Say Goodbye & I Say Hello Pt 1

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing in this story except for my own little plot line and any characters you may not recognize. Everything else is property of the genius Stephenie Meyer.

**A/N**: Well, how long has it been since I posted an update? Yeah, I'm not even going to figure that out. Anyway, here's the deal. You all know that I don't have that much free time and my promise to you guys was that I would get to Forks in this next update. So, I wrote... and wrote... and wrote some more... Basically, it boiled down to this. There was a lot of stuff that had to happen before Bella got to Forks, so you add that with the little amount of time that I had to write, and you're left with two months of waiting for an update. However, I did not jip you guys!!! FORKS IS INCLUDED XD Get excited, folks.

So here's the deal. The complete update is 45 pages (give or take) on a Word document. Don't even ask me how many words that came up to be because it's too much for my brain to even comprehend. With that said, I'm splitting the update into two parts. You know what that means?

2 UPDATES!!! That's right. You waited how long for ONE update? I can promise you that I didn't slack on my writing ;) Okay, maybe my writing skills, b/c being in a medical program... well... I feel like my writing resembles a lab report now. It's actually a terrifying thought. *gets scared*

Alright, enough of this shizz. Get to reading, folks! :D

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**Bella's POV**:

I was dreaming again. Gabriel's accented voice echoed throughout my mind, swimming in the dark abyss of my subconscious.

_"She who is born a mortal but who does not belong to that world will show her true self when Twilight taints the sky."_

_"It's twilight." Edward whispered to me. His voice was like a serenade, lulling me deeper into a shrouding calm of sleep. "It's the safest time of day for us. The easiest time. But also the saddest, in a way… the end of another day, the return of the night. Darkness is so predictable, don't you think?"_

_His face appeared before me, smiling. The golden streaks in his warm eyes glistened in such a way that my heart ached with the urge to just reach out, if only to touch him before I woke up._

_Again, the haunting words of the prophecy swirled around us._

_"She will not know of her fate nor the destiny she is to fulfill."_

_"You don't see yourself very clearly, you know," Edward murmured, staring off into the setting sun, the vibrant cerise light bouncing off of his skin in a thousand diamonds._

_"Great power hides deep within her, for the one who claims the heart of both a werewolf and a vampire will end a war unlike the world has ever seen," Gabriel whispered, his voice barely audible._

_"Bella." I turned to him, my angel. The sound of my name was desperate as it broke from his lips. He turned to me now, staring – his eyes pleading with me. "My sweet, silly Bella," he breathed, reaching up to cup the side of my face in his hand. I gasped, closing my eyes at the sensation of his cold palm against my skin. "My love…" His breath washed over my lips, the tip of my nose, fanning out over my cheeks. "I can't live in a world without you."_

_My eyes fluttered open to meet is tawny gaze. He was inches away from my face and yet he kept moving closer, until his forehead was resting on mine. "Don't leave me," he begged, shutting his eyes tightly. "Please…"_

_"Edward," I whispered, reaching up to place my hand over his. "I'm not going anywhere. I won't leave you."_

_"But you will," he argued, brushing the tip of his nose across my own. His body shook with the emotion in his voice, as if the mere mention of living without me caused him physical pain. "You_ will _leave me."_

_"No," I whimpered, shaking my head. The intense cold of his skin was hard against mine, yet I relished in its comfort. "Edward, I won't leave you. I promise."_

_A soft, keening sound reverberated from the back of his throat as his lips found mine. His kiss was urgent, dire. It was as if he was telling me goodbye. My hands moved to his shoulders, clutching on to him for dear life. Nothing would will me away from him._

_"Bella," he hummed, moving his lips to brush over every inch of my face. "My sweet, angel." I sighed as he kissed my closed eyelids, feathering his lips up to my forehead. "Please stay with me."_

_My fingers dug into the material of his shirt, drawing him closer. "I'll stay with you, Edward. I won't leave you."_

_He swept me up then, encircling his arms around me in a desperate embrace. I gasped out, startled at the strength in his hold. My hands were splayed out across his back and every so often I could feel his body tremble, as if small tremors rippled beneath his skin. It was then that I noticed the quiet sobs that escaped him, echoing around us. Shocked, I tried to pull away but he only clung to me tighter, his body quivering with each cry._

_"Bella… I don't want you to die." _

Air rushed into my lungs as I jolted forward; every nerve and muscle in my body twitching with life. My hand gripped my chest as I heaved, frantically trying to catch my breath. Sweat dripped down the length of my neck, pooling in the small of my back. I bent forward, leaning my head down to rest on the plush carpet of Verrin's room. It was as if I could feel the room spinning around me. My throat seemed to tighten as I forced myself to swallow, gasping again for air. Slowly, I turned to my left, my eyes settling on the sleeping form of Verrin. Her breathing was soft, almost inaudible in the quiet air. _She must have fallen asleep when I did_, I thought, pushing myself up. My arms and legs shook as I crawled over to the bedroom door. The handle was cold as I gripped it tightly in my hand, using its strength to pull myself into a standing position.

The nightmare I had tonight was unlike any I have had before. Several times I would awake with sweats, gasping for breath, but never had I felt so physically drained from such a dream. It made me yearn to be in Edward's arms even more.

When I was sure that I had not woken Verrin, I slipped off my shoes and quietly made my way out of her room. The rest of the house was silent. Still.

Softly, I padded my way down the hall, rubbing my arms feverishly as a sharp chill ran down my spine.

As I reached the landing, I noticed a large window facing the front of the home. A tree branch scraped across the glass as the moonlight shown through, casting the darkness in an eerie light. I quickly slipped through the shadows that danced across the stairs, eager to get to my destination.

On our way to her room, Verrin had told me where I could find anything in the house. She pointed out Alex and Damian's rooms as we passed them, giggling as she said that Damian usually had some different girl in the order on his phone every night. "He's such a pig. I mean really, he uses his damn accent to get what he wants. I swear… men and their little heads."

I grinned at the memory as I passed by the landing on the second level. If Verrin had told me correctly, the kitchen should be in the very back left-hand corner of the first floor. My throat stung as I tried to swallow, the dry membrane screaming at me for moisture. Again, I stalked down the last few sections of stairs, careful not to make the tiniest sound. From what I could hear, everyone was fast asleep – Alex's snores echoed loudly from the third floor. Now that I was immortal, every noise was heightened; from the honking of a car horn five blocks away to the softest whisper of a mother saying goodnight to her child twenty miles from here, it was all fine-tuned, a crescendo of the Earth's sounds. It was as if another part of the world was coming alive.

The wooden floor was cold beneath my feet as I stepped down, pausing at the foot of the stairwell to search the darkness of the room around me. My eyes zeroed in on the outline of a couch and as my sight began to adjust, I took in the fine details of the bronze silk that covered the ornate Grecian sofa. The room was similarly decorated as the many that I had seen on this floor, with the exception of a 40" flat screen TV nailed to the outer wall. _Interesting_.

Continuing my venture, I walked around the length of the room, studying the details in the marble bust of a female's head. The ringlets that curled her hair into intricate waves, flowing along the length of her slender neck, were meticulous – exact. Even though her features were made of stone, she seemed lifelike. It was as if I could reach out and touch the curve of her cheek, feeling soft skin beneath my fingers instead of cold rock. Her eyes, void of any color except the pale snow-white granite, still held a swirl of emotions. It was as if she were trapped inside the carved cage of her being, staring back and waiting – waiting for release. And as I walked away, towards a small dimly lit hallway that led out of the foreign room, I couldn't help but feel the same qualms of my own future.

Small candles flickered in their glass hurricanes that hung along each side of the narrow hall. Portraits of the Treviaron members outlined the mahogany walls, the piercing violet eyes glowing back at me, following my every move. I glanced from one painting to the next, all equally beautiful in their mystique. The eyes were the same yet held a certain ferocity that belonged only to the owner. Gabriel's gaze was sharp, striking in the darkness. I could see the flowing blonde locks of Verrin's hair, glistening like strands of gold silk beneath the sun. Alex's sharp cheekbones stood out in the portrait next to his sister's. Even in oil on canvas, he still made my body shudder with anger. Damian's was across from Alex's painting – the very man of seduction. And he knew it. I smirked as I continued to scan each member, my own amethyst gaze locking onto the eyes of every person who would be a part of my new family.

That's when I saw him. His eyes the familiar lavender crystals, shining through the canvas, embedded in a mask of porcelain beauty. The skin was pale white, lips red as blood, his hair burning in a bronze haze.

I gasped loudly, bringing my hands up to cover my mouth in shock. _Edward. My Edward… _

"It can't be," I whispered, feeling my heart beat rapidly beneath my chest. The pain that coursed through me in that moment was unlike anything I had endured since the day he left. All I had were memories to look back on, dreams to be terrified of, but never had I come across something so vivid since he had left me... So real…

Slowly, I inched closer, scrutinizing the work before me. I followed each line and curve of his face, studied the soft brush strokes that gave texture to his lips and hair. And the more I looked, the more I began to see the subtle differences between my Edward and the one before me. The curvature of the nose was sharper, the eyes slightly wider, a faint scar that indented his forehead – all of these things made me realize that this was someone else. _Someone who was obviously meant to torture me whenever I stared at his portrait_, I thought dismally. The same snake and torch pendant hung from around his neck, but as I stepped closer, I noticed a small, single letter that hung from the silver chain. The letter 'L.' Turning back around, I stared into the eyes of Gabriel's painting that hung on the opposite wall, and it was then that I realized who exactly I had been enraptured with.

"Lukas."

The sharp scraping of the trees against the windows from the living room brought me out of my daze. My entire body was shaking as I wrapped my arms around my waist, hurriedly making my way down the hall to what I hoped to be the kitchen. My venture was originally intended for finding a glass of water, not reliving my past.

Metal upon stone struck a chord that echoed through the walls. The soft clinging of chains resonated from my right. I halted my steps, turning towards the sound. A large door stood before me and as I moved towards it, pressing the side of my face up against the cool wood, the same clinking sound reverberated from within, followed by a sick, twisted laugh.

My eyes closed as I felt my jaw tighten. Without thinking, I turned the brass knob and opened the door. A long wooden staircase stretched out before me, heading down to what I could only assume to be another part of the basement. The old boards creaked beneath my weight as I made my way determinedly down the stairs. If I were going to get any _real_ answers from someone this evening, it would be from _her_.

The laughter was there again, even louder this time as I neared the ground floor, staring into her blood red eyes. Her fiery hair danced around her head as she swayed back and forth, her wrists cuffed with chains as her fingers clutched the metal bars that caged her in.

"Victoria," I growled, stepping off the last step. "So this is where they've been hiding you?"

She was silent, her eyes fixed upon me as a malicious grin spread across her face.

"Happy to see me, are you?" Despite my newfound power, the redheaded vampire before me still caused my nerves to crawl beneath my skin.

Her smile widened, exposing sharp rows of teeth. "How'd you guess?"

My eyes traveled over her damaged form. Scars lined the length of her arms; her right leg was cocked to the side as if it had been broken in several places, only now beginning to heal back to normal. Strands of her fiery curls littered the floor of her cage, along with splotches of dried crimson blood.

"What did they do to you?" I whispered, horrified by what I saw. It still didn't seem natural that someone could be more powerful than a vampire, especially _this_ vampire.

Her smile faded instantly and she slowly straightened up, wincing only slightly. "Come to do the same? I wouldn't blame you for it," she said, her piercing voice sickening to my ears. "One simple move and I would be out of these chains, out of this cage, and before you in less than a second."

"So why don't you do it?" I asked, standing before her, merely inches away from the metal bars. "I know you can break free from here, so why haven't you tried?"

She let her hands slip free from the iron bars as she stumbled backwards, sliding down the wall that bordered part of her confinement. "Do you have any idea of what you are now, Bella?" she whispered, her eyes suddenly flashing with a fear that I had never thought her to possess. "Your kind was a legend to us – told to us in stories throughout the years. Humans," she sighed, glancing down to the floor. "They're afraid of the monsters under their beds, the creatures hiding within their closets. We were those monsters, Bella. We were the ones who watched them while they slept, who crept along the floor beside of their bed just waiting for them to open their eyes."

My body began to drain of color as she continued to speak; images of her slithering around my room at night flittered through my mind.

"But you, dear sweet Isabella," she purred, moving her gaze back to mine. "Are now one of the monsters that lurk after us, you are the one that we search for in the dark, causing our eyes to dart from shadow to shadow, watching… waiting. You are the thing that we fear."

It was an utterly surreal moment to be standing before a broken and frightened vampire. A creature of the night, one who had no doubt wanted to kill me for the past several months. I didn't feel pride in her confession. I didn't feel a surge of adrenaline or self-righteous glory for what I was. As I stared down at her, eyes wide, taking in the cuts and bruises that slowly healed over her pale skin, I could only feel remorse.

"What makes you even think that I would even try to break free?" she breathed. "You have no idea what you're capable of."

Slowly, I sunk down to the floor, crouching before her. The iron bars were the only things standing between us and we both knew that either one of us could get rid of them quite easily.

"Victoria," I whispered, catching her gaze. I lifted my hands and wrapped my fingers around the cold metal, easily prying the bars apart just enough for me to squeeze through. The vampire watched me with wide, thirsty eyes, but made no move to lunge at me as I lowered myself to sit on the ground before her. "I need you to tell me some things. I won't hurt you but know that if you try something stupid, I will defend myself." My eyes darted across the dried bloodstains on the floor before meeting her crimson gaze. "And don't think that I won't do what they had done to you before."

Victoria instinctively cringed and straightened up against the back wall. One simple nod from her signaled that I was allowed to continue. I drew in a deep breath, wondering where to begin.

"When I first saw you here, you said that Aro had sent you to come after me because of…" I swallowed thickly, already hating to say his name. "Edward."

She nodded again, but made no intention of speaking to me.

"Can you tell me more specifics on that?"

"You already know them, Bella," she sighed. "They've told you all you need to know."

"But you were _there_, Victoria. You were able to stand in the same room with all of them, walk the halls with them, share the same space as them. There's a difference between you being there and Gabriel just hearing of it."

"Why would you even trust me?" she whispered, her eyes inquisitive as they raked over my huddled form. "Why do you think I'd tell you the truth?"

"Because you don't have a reason not to," I replied, leaning my head up against the hard metal bars. "You have nothing left to live for, Victoria. Why make up lies now?"

Her jaw was set as her eyes grew distant. It didn't take a rocket scientist to know who she was thinking about.

"I'm not sorry about James," I told her. "But I am sorry for how you feel, because as strange as it sounds, I understand your pain."

She looked up at me then, her eyes wide. "You understand _nothing_," she spat. "You don't know what it's like to have your mate ripped away from you."

"On the contrary," I countered, my voice matching the venom that pooled in her mouth. "But James was sadistic. He was a monster – "

"He was a vampire!" she hissed. "We _are_ monsters."

I shook my head, keeping my eyes locked on hers. "Not all of you."

A soft laugh escaped her lips, rumbling through her chest. "Yes, your vegetarian lover," she giggled. "But do you know that he was once like James? Like myself? He used to kill people too."

"And yet he chose to overcome that, didn't he?" I spat back. "Now, stop avoiding my questions and answer me. What happened in Volterra?"

~*~*~*~

The sun was blinding as it ricocheted off the water droplets that clung to the sleek, black car from last night's rain. It had begun just as soon as I returned to Verrin's room and I couldn't have been more thankful for it.

Hearing the soft pattering sound was the only way I was able to fall back to sleep.

Verrin kept one hand on the wheel, the other supporting her cheek as we drove to school that morning. The sunglasses that I had brought with me now hid my violet eyes from the rest of the world. But they did little to ease the discomfort from the vibrant rays that struggled to break free through the dark clouds overhead.

Last night's discussion with Victoria played over and over again in my mind. Her story wasn't much different from Gabriel's, except now, I knew what really happened the day that Aro ordered Victoria to come after me.

_"You should have seen his face," she breathed, a slow smile spreading across her lips. "I take pride in the fact that I can hurt him because he hurt me, but Bella," she whispered, her smile slowly fading away. "There's no one else who could love you the way Edward does. The pain in his eyes… I knew that pain, that suffering once. Consider yourself lucky. I'd give anything to have James back with me."_

"What are you thinking about?" Verrin's voice brought me out of my daze and I stared at her for a few moments, blankly.

"Nothing."

She pursed her lips in thought, no doubt wondering whether to question me but chose not to. I wasn't dumb, if she wanted to, she could find out exactly what I was thinking of, but I wouldn't reveal anything about last night until she asked.

Students milled about the parking lot as we pulled into the school. I watched two girls giggle incessantly with each other as they passed by a few of the football players, their smiles oddly reminding me of Jessica Stanely. And yet… it was normal. Despite how much I hated being in the social limelight, as I watched the students around me, rushing to class, hurriedly finishing their homework in their cars, I realized that I wanted this. I missed that sense of normalcy that provided some sense of construction to my existence. It was so much easier before Forks. My life had been an empty canvas, sure, but it was safe. Comfortable. I didn't want extravagant or crazy. I didn't need gossip surrounding me 24/7. The hottest guy on campus could have walked by me and I wouldn't have noticed – more importantly, I wouldn't have cared.

But all of that changed the day I met Edward Cullen.

"Come on, Bella," Verrin chirped as she climbed out of the car. Sighing, I reluctantly followed suite as Alex and Damian exited the silver Aston Martin parked to our left. Every person who carried the Y chromosome stumbled over themselves, mouths gaping, as they passed by it.

"Boys and cars," I muttered, throwing my bag over my right shoulder. "I don't get it."

Verrin gave a slight nod to her brothers and gently grasped my elbow, leading me towards the front doors.

"We have some important things to discuss at lunch, Bella," she whispered in my ear. "Don't be late."

Damian's violet gaze flickered to mine and I couldn't help but feel curious about he and Alex's presence. "Remind me why they're here again?" The two of them walked off in another direction, headed for a side entrance that lead directly to the main office of the school. A flock of female students gawked at them, no doubt mesmerized by their flawless physique, sculpted chests, chiseled jawbones, sharp piercing eyes…

It was disgusting.

And as I continued to follow Verrin towards the main entrance, I began to realize that it was more than just a small group of girls ogling my new "friends." It was as if the entire female population at my school had their hormone switch flipped on. My literature teacher from this year was even nervously combing her fingers through her hair as Alex swiftly floated past her. _Christ… even the faculty are panting after them_. And as luck would have it, one unfortunate girl, who was too busy salivating after Damian, forgot to pay attention to what was ahead of her – a brick wall.

Poor thing.

Verrin grinned as we entered the school. "They're here to take care of some important business – nothing too exciting. Don't forget about lunch, Bella."

I was left to contemplate her words as I stood just inside the main entrance. My concentration had momentarily switched to the girl who had just had an unpleasant meeting with the outside wall. She brushed herself off in embarrassment and I grimaced as I realized that could have easily been me.

By the time I turned back around, Verrin had already rushed off down the hall to her first class. It wasn't until I heard the high-pitched squealing of the morning bell that I too took off in a blur. Being late was the last thing on my agenda for the day.

The morning went by slowly as I sat through first period, biting my lip and idly staring at the clock. And yet I did the same exact thing for the next four classes before the lunch bell finally rang.

Verrin was already at our table as I made my way through the maze of hunger-stricken students, all vying to grab of piece of what could have only been described as the most repulsive thing to ever grace the cafeteria menu. Turkey Surprise.

No thank you. It reminded me of cat food. Smelly, disgusting, mashed cat food.

Doing my best to hold my breath, I zipped through the lunch line with a single red apple.

"Good thing you didn't get the special," Verrin commented as I arrived at our table, dropping my bag to the floor. "Because there definitely isn't any turkey in it."

"Ugh, don't," I pleaded, holding my hand up to stop her rant. "I hardly have an appetite as it is. I don't think I need to lose it completely."

"Fair enough."

She speared a piece of romaine lettuce off of her plate with one of those plastic sporks and began gingerly chewing her own meal. "You see that yellow flyer behind you?" she questioned between bites.

I turned around, noticing a pale yellow piece of paper stuck to the wall beside of the vending machine. The bold words of "Habitat for Humanity" were stamped across it. "Yeah, what about it?" I asked, turning around to take a bite of my apple.

"They're going to Ecuador tomorrow to help build some new homes," she continued, pausing as if to give me time to figure out what it was she was trying to say. After moments of me staring blankly in her direction, she finally sighed and shoved her salad away. "We're going on that trip, Bella."

I about choked on my apple. "I'm sorry?"

"I've already put our names on the list."

"But, we would have already had to pay for that trip, Verrin. What was it – like fifteen hundred dollars?"

"Sixteen."

This time I did choke on my lunch. "I don't _have_ that kind of money!"

"Relax," she sighed, folding her arms casually across her chest. "I didn't pay a single penny for it."

"But – "

"Manipulative powers, Bella. I want you to repeat that."

"Damian and Alex," I sneered. "That's why they were here." I shook my head, trying to discern the obviously insane notion that was playing through her mind in this very moment. "Okay, well I don't see how a trip to Ecuador has anything to do with us."

"Do I have to spell it out for you?" Verrin asked, narrowing her violet eyes in my direction. "We have to find a way to get you out of Jacksonville. I already told you that you would be enrolled back at Forks High before the week was out. Which means today is your last day here."

It was as if time had frozen. The sound of the audible cafeteria died away and along with it the sharp outlines of the students surrounding us. I could only focus in on Verrin's words as they seemed to pierce right through me. For the first time, it was as if my mind finally comprehended the fact that I would be saying goodbye to Renee and Phil. And Charlie… what was I supposed to say to him?

"We're going to make the school and your parents believe that we are going on this trip. Which means tomorrow morning you need to have everything you want to bring with you packed up and ready to go. You can't come back to stay with Renee or Phil, nor can you stay with Charlie in Forks. They have to believe that you're gone."

"But we won't be gone forever, Verrin." Even to me, my voice sounded distant to my own ears. Deep down, I knew what we had to do, but I didn't dare utter the words. Saying them out loud just made this entirely fucked up situation even more real.

She leaned forward, her gaze solemn as she chose how to appropriately say what she needed to tell me next. "Bella, try to understand me. You can't ever go back to being with your family. You can't even let those that once called you a friend know that you're _alive_."

Somewhere during her little speech, I began to shake my head violently as hot tears clouded my sight. My heart plummeted below my stomach. I could feel the bile rising up my throat, burning its way through my flesh like acid.

"Bella – "

I shot a hand up, signaling her to stop. Even through the liquid window that covered my gaze, I could easily see the distress evident upon her pixie-like face. "Don't. Don't even say it."

For all I knew, it could have been ten minutes or ten seconds of silence that passed between us before the firm grip of Verrin's hand around my arm shot waves of discomfort through my skin. Instantly, she pulled me up and began dragging me away from the cafeteria and towards a back hallway where at least a dozen freshmen were huddled around the lockers. They stared at us oddly while we made a straight path to the exit doors that led out to the faculty parking lot.

As soon as the fresh air hit my face, Verrin shoved me against the brick wall. Hard. The rough grout threatened to tear away the skin on the back of my scalp.

"What would you have me do?" she hissed, her eyes burning a violet blaze. "You are _not _a mortal human anymore, Bella. You don't belong in this world. Those people," she seethed, pointing towards the doors of the school. "…that you so desperately wish you were apart of, don't give a rat's ass about you. And your friends back at Forks… have you heard from them? Mike? Angela? Jessica? Tyler? Have any of them tried to contact you since you left?"

I shrunk away from her words, feeling the truth pound its way through my body as if someone were using me as a punching bag.

Her jaw locked as she continued to glare at me, her eyes shooting poisonous daggers that made my skin crawl. "You were never apart of this world. How is it even possible that a vampire and a werewolf love a human? And the same human! God, Bella, don't you see?" she screeched, pushing herself away from me. "You were meant for _that_ world. You were meant for _our_ world. Not this." She held her hands out, motioning to an average building, surrounded by the average cars and filled with the average people inside – a world with dull colors and little life. "Nothing about _this_ world was ever meant for you. So, if you want to see Edward Cullen again, if you want your family to be safe, then you'll do exactly as we tell you."

"Why can't they know?" I whispered. "Renee and Charlie? Why can't they know?"

Verrin sighed and let her head drop into her hands. I had seen that look before and I hated the way it made me feel so inept. Didn't she understand that half the time I was even wondering if all of this wasn't just in my head?

When she finally looked up at me, her eyes no longer held the hostile appearance as before. Instead, they were softer, sadder. "It's for the same reason that they can't know about the Cullens being a clan of vampires," she uttered quietly. "It's for the same reason that they can't know about your friends on the reservation being werewolves. There's a fine line between morality and immortality, Bella, and we rarely, if ever, cross that line. Every action has its consequences, whether they be good or bad. This is yours."

Swallowing heavily, I nodded, allowing my body to sag against the roughened brick of the building. Yes… life had been much easier before Forks. My empty canvas had been mutilated, sprayed with a thousand colors at once, only to change my world to an ominous black. "So, how do we do it?" My voice was hoarse with exhaustion. There was too much still bottled up inside of me and yet I didn't want to feel the emotions. I don't think I deserved to feel them, especially not after what I was about to do to those I loved. "How are we going to fake our deaths?"

"Construction accident," Verrin shrugged, sinking down to the ground with a sigh, as if the topic were the most casual thing to be discussing. "We won't have it circulate for another couple weeks though. Technically, we're supposed to be in Ecuador for close to a month. This will give you enough time to figure out if the Cullens will actually be returning to Volterra and what exactly they talked about with Aro."

A loud snort issued through my nose as I rolled my eyes. I could just picture it now – walking over to Edward and Alice during lunch and asking them about their Italy trip. I wonder if they would think me too suspicious if I just happened to ask how Aro and his buddies were?

"Oh please," Verrin scoffed. "Do you even know the actual meaning of the word 'spy?'"

_Damn her and her mind reading abilities._

"You have them too, you know. You just have to concentrate." She smirked at me for the first time that day and despite everything that had just occurred I couldn't help but grin back. "Manipulative powers, Bella," she repeated for the second time that afternoon. "You can manipulate anything and anyone you want to. That's the beauty of being what we are."

"So you're saying that I just manipulate the Cullens?"

"No," she corrected me. "I'm saying you _spy_ on the Cullens."

I picked up a small gray stone and flicked it at her. "You know, you really suck at this cryptic thing."

"Like you could do better." She rolled her eyes at me and quickly stuck out her tongue.

"How very Alice of you," I smirked. "But how exactly does me _spying_ on the Cullens make it any easier for us? Couldn't we just get the information on our own?" _And save me the trouble of having to face him again? _

"Touché," she nodded, her smile instantly disappearing. "But when they go to Volterra, Bella, you're going to follow them. We know that Aro is probably lying but we don't start wars over nothing and like I said, we tend to keep ourselves secret. So, we send you in to act like you're on his side, you find out information on this impending war, see if he is actually telling the truth and then let us know."

I stared at her incredulously. What in the hell had I done in my life to deserve all of this? "So it's just that easy, is it? Just like a snap of the fingers. Why not just make this a hell of lot less complicated and go talk to the werewolves about it?"

"That's easier said than done," she smirked. "But we're working on it."

_Yeah, yeah…_ I sighed, leaning my head back and letting my eyes shut under the cover of the gray sky. It was easier staying hidden in the shadows. If only Edward hadn't saved me from Tyler's skidding van. Maybe then I wouldn't have to deal with any of this.

_Fate wouldn't let your life end that easily, Bella_. Verrin's thoughts pierced my mind, startling me. I snapped my eyes open to gaze down at her grinning form. _Told you it's not that hard to concentrate_.

"Look, I know it's a lot to take in," she sighed, pushing herself up from the ground. "But Gabriel will be more specific with you once we get to Forks. The whole you going to Volterra thing isn't entirely clear yet. My advice is to just take one day at a time."

"Easy for you to say," I muttered, making my way slowly back to the doors as the ending lunch bell rang through the school campus. "I'm virtually having to say goodbye to my family and say hello to the one person who didn't want me in his life anymore, all in less than a week. Not to mention everything else you want me to do."

We pulled the metal doors open, allowing the chatter of a hundred students surround us as we entered the hallway. Verrin draped her arm across my shoulders. "You'll get through it, Isabella."

"Don't call me that," I hissed, my body already tensing. Verrin stared at me in slight amusement, the corners of her thin lips curving upwards into a grin. "I don't like it when people call me that."

"No shit, Sherlock," she laughed, instantly catching the startled glance of a freshmen English teacher. "But lucky for you, I'll just call you Izzy instead."

"Oh God, that's worse," I droned, feeling my face turn a slight shade of pink. "That's a horrible name."

"Yes, but I think it has a nice ring to it though," she teased, poking me in the side as we entered the cafeteria to grab our things. "Don't you think?"

"I think I'm going to punch you."

"In front of all of these humans? You wouldn't dare, Swan."

My book bag swung easily over my shoulder as I turned around to meet her mocking gaze, her violet eyes alight with humor. "Try me."

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Carry on to part 2. ;)


	13. Ch 11:You Say Goodbye & I Say Hello Pt 2

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing in this story except for my own little plot line and any characters you may not recognize. Everything else is property of the genius Stephenie Meyer.

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**Bella's POV Cont.**:

Peach colored concrete walls shaped the place that had been my home for the past seven months. The tall palm trees swayed in the light breeze, their leaves feathering over the slate roof, grazing across each little glistening shard beneath the few rays of sun. The front door was open. The screen door closed, allowing for the warm air to sweep through the entire house. Gray clouds rolled overhead and yet it did nothing to dampen the cheery atmosphere that surrounded my home. A home that would soon no longer belong to me.

There was a window on the left side of the house up on the second floor that looked out to the street. The sun's rays would shine through it on a beautiful day. The rain would dance across its pane when the sky grew angry. And each clear night, the moon was visible. The stars would sparkle in their onyx blanket and I would watch them when sleep failed to coat my mind.

This was my window. This was where I glanced out into the world wondering if the sky that I saw was the same for Edward. I would watch twilight paint the heavens and wonder if he thought of me at that exact same moment. And each time, I would cry shamelessly, leaning my head up against that very window.

But no longer.

"You ready for this?" Verrin asked me as we sat in her car, parked outside my home.

My eyes traveled over the sight before me one last time. "No."

"Here." She tossed a small box in my lap and I glanced down to read the miniscule black print hidden beneath the picture of a clear lens.

"Contacts?"

Verrin shrugged, flashing me a small smile. "They're brown. It'll help to hide your real eye color now. Not to mention, it will save you a world of trouble with Renee."

I grinned despite myself, running my hand over the smooth surface. "You know, I think I'll miss her rants."

"I know you will."

"How… How do I get them to believe me? I –"

Verrin's hand closed over mine. Her small fingers squeezed lightly and for a moment I willed myself to really believe that it was Alice sitting next to me.

"Just concentrate," she whispered.

I nodded, slowly withdrawing my hand. "Yeah." Shutting my eyes, I drew in a deep breath, willing the oxygen to fulfill me, to calm my anxious mood. "I'll see you tomorrow morning," I muttered before quickly climbing out of the car.

_Seven a.m. sharp, Swan_, Verrin thought as I stood facing what was soon to become my past. The engine roared to life and all too soon, the thundering noise drifted off in the distance, quieting down to a mere whisper.

_Just concentrate_, I thought to myself. The house was so peaceful, so calm, that I hated to be the one to cause the impending chaos that would soon develop. Quickly, I slipped on my sunglasses and took a deep breath. _This is it_.

I walked slowly up the uneven pavement, idly thinking how many times I had tripped here. Again, that was all in the past now. As I neared the screen door, my mother's distinct voice drifted from inside. I could hear it before we even left the school, but I chose to ignore it for as long as possible. Recognizing its presence would only make things harder.

The squeak of the door was a crescendo of sound as its hinges twisted. Renee poked her head out from the kitchen, stretching over to see me walk through.

"Hey, baby," she called. "Did you have fun at your friend's house?"

I quickly turned my head to acknowledge her as I made my way to the staircase. "Um, yeah. Listen, I'm just going to go up and put my stuff away. I'll be down in a second."

"Alright, dinner will be ready soon anyway."

The wooden stairs creaked under my weight as I raced up to my room. Tears already threatened to fall as I slammed my door shut, allowing my body to sag against the hard surface. A few quiet sobs escaped me and I let myself slip down to the floor, burying my face in my hands. "What am I doing?" I whispered to myself. "How can I get through this?"

All of my questions went unanswered, my tears unnoticed, my cries unheard. My life had been tilted on its axis, and I was dangling from it, holding on to a shred of normalcy that still remained but threatened to unravel. Where had the simple things disappeared too? Where were the lost moments that I had cooking with Renee or fishing with Charlie? Where had my life gone?

But in the end, I knew that Verrin was right. I didn't belong in this world. It had been a safe haven for me before, but now I had outgrown it. Now, it was time for me to move on.

Wiping away my tears on the back of my hand, I pushed myself up and grabbed the box of contacts that Verrin had given me. After a couple failed attempts, I was finally able to apply the brown, flimsy lens correctly.

I blinked a few times, staring at my reflection in the bathroom mirror. This was the girl I used to be. The one with the doe-like brown eyes – the eyes that Edward loved. And now they were only a disguise.

Renee was still bustling about the kitchen when I made my way down the stairs. I leaned against the doorway, watching her bring down three plates from the cabinet. The smell of spaghetti sauce drifted through the air as it bubbled from the steaming pot. A box of Duncan Hines brownie mix sat unopened on the counter and I watched in amusement as Renee attempted to stir together the brownie mix and cook spaghetti noodles at the same time.

It didn't work.

As soon as the hot water began to bubble over the pot, I rushed to her side to turn the dial back down to medium heat. "Need some help?"

"I always need help," she sighed, resigning herself to stirring the brown, chocolately goop.

I grabbed a spoon and stirred the noodles, adding a pinch of salt at the same time. "No bowtie pasta this time, huh?"

Renee smiled and patted the back of my shoulder. "You used to love that as a kid, didn't you?" she laughed. "Well, maybe next time I'll have some available."

A sad smile graced my lips. "Yeah… next time."

Dinner was served in the next twenty minutes and I awkwardly sat down with Renee and Phil, uncertain as to how to approach the subject at hand. Phil instantly grabbed for the garlic bread that I had whipped up and placed two pieces on his plate before passing the small basket to Renee.

"So," I said, clearing my throat slightly as I filled my salad bowl. "I just wanted to remind you guys that I'd be leaving tomorrow to go on that Ecuador trip."

Renee paused from picking up a slice of bread and stared at me with wide eyes.

_Crap_.

"You know, the one that we paid for last month," I reasoned quickly, instantly concocting a fake scenario in my mind of me coming home with the flyer and Renee talking animatedly about how it was a great idea while writing a check. "You said it would be a great opportunity for me." I focused in on that false memory hoping beyond anything that concentrating on it would somehow make this absurd plan work.

She stared at me for a few more moments until something flashed across her eyes. Recognition perhaps? "That's right, I remember talking to Phil about it that night. You remember that, honey?"

"Omph, yeah, yeah…" Phil muttered between bites. "This spaghetti's really good, babe."

I grimaced as a lone noodle dangled from his mouth. "So, uh… you two are still cool with that?"

"I don't see why not," Renee speculated, taking a bite of her bread. "Like you said, it'll be a great opportunity for you. Plus, it will look nice on a college application."

"Mom," I sighed, rolling my eyes. College was something that I hadn't been necessarily excited about, but knowing that my future had been horribly skewed, I would give anything to have that opportunity. Now, I would never know what it would be like to walk across campus to go to class or live in a small, cramped dorm room away from the troubles of family life. "So, Verrin is planning on picking me up at seven. Is that okay?" I questioned, forcing the previous thoughts back into the recesses of my mind.

"Sure, sweetie. Just promise me something," she said, her eyes pleading with me and I couldn't help but prepare myself to agree. It was one of those looks that all mothers give in their inevitable plan to make you consent to anything they say. "Promise me you'll try to call every once and a while or at least write."

_Damn_. "Well, I'm sure we'll be really busy, but I'll do my best." _Liar_. My stomach began to twist in knots at the thought of this being the last night that I would ever spend with my mom. I watched her twirl noodles around her fork with a smile and I began to wonder if I would ever be half the person that she was. Renee had her quirks, that was a given, but she was half of me and therefore I felt a sudden loss at my impending departure. "Hey mom," I blurted out.

She looked up at me expectantly, her fork in midair.

"Do you want to watch a movie tonight? Maybe we could… I don't know… just spend a little bit of time together before I leave?"

An instant smile of satisfaction lit her face. "Of course we can."

And so a night of sappy romance movies, popcorn, and nail polish proceeded. Alice would have been proud.

As the credits of the last movie scrolled across the screen, I felt Renee sigh beside of me as we sat on the couch. "You know, I'm going to miss you while you're gone. But I'm glad you're doing this, baby." She patted the top of my thigh softly while watching the screen in a daze. "I know you've been through a lot lately, especially after that boy broke your heart in Forks."

My jaws clenched at the mere remembrance of that event, but I continued to listen without interrupting her.

"I think this will help you to get away from all of that stress and just be yourself for once. I loved your father dearly but after leaving him, as you know, I was stuck in a rut myself. I would have given anything for the chance that you're receiving now."

I sat there in silence, studying the crease in her brow, watching the way her lips moved as she whispered quietly, ingraining every little detail of her in my brain. Because there were only ever a few times that she truly talked to me like this, and I wanted to make sure that I remembered it for however long I existed.

"When you were little, I used to sit you down on the kitchen counter with me while I cooked. You would try to help me stir cookie batter and only ended up getting it on your face," she giggled, her eyes crinkling as she laughed. "One day, after we had moved from Forks, I was making peanut butter cookies. They used to be Charlie's favorite and you remembered the smell of them baking in the oven so well, that when you first smelled it that day, you called out 'Dada.'"

Tears instantly filled her eyes and I immediately reached for her hand as her chin began to quiver. "I felt like such a horrible mother to you. You missed your father so much and I just took you away from him. I was so selfish –"

"No, you weren't," I reasoned, hating to see her like this. "Mom, you couldn't have stayed in that situation. Sometimes… things just don't work out the way you planned," I shrugged. "Besides, you let me go to visit him, so it wasn't like you were forcing me to never see him again."

"Oh, Bella," she sighed. "It's not just that. You had to see me go through how many sleezebags before I finally met Phil? And even after all of that, you still gave me space to be with him. You were never a selfish person and I'm so very thankful for that. But now, it's time to do something for yourself. I wish I could go back and change some of the decisions that I've made, but I can't." She turned to me, gently tucking a stray piece of hair behind my ear. "You're a beautiful girl, Bella. Go out there and show them what you're made of. You've always given me the space that I've needed to cope with everything, and now I want you to have yours."

I nodded, biting the inside of my cheek in order to keep my tears at bay. "Thanks, mom."

She pulled me in tightly for a hug, quickly kissing the side of my head. "You better go call Charlie before you leave," she sighed, finally pulling away. "He's probably still up watching ESPN with a beer in his hand," she smirked.

I smiled. "Yeah that sounds like him."

The idea of calling Charlie was a lot easier than actually doing it. My mom had stood up to go to bed and now, twenty minutes later, sitting alone on the couch, I was faced with yet another challenge – saying goodbye to my dad.

When was the last time I had seen him?

The fact that I couldn't even remember frightened me. Or maybe it was just that I didn't _want_ to remember. I sighed loudly, biting my lip and every so often glancing into the kitchen where the phone sat… waiting. Its red light blinked continuously in the darkness, as if telling me that it would wait for however long I needed.

Except I didn't want to make this call.

CPR classes taught you how to save someone's life. Swimming lessons taught you how to stay afloat. High school prepared you for college. And yet out of all the different things you could do to ensure your future, not one of them prepared you for something like this.

Eventually, I stood up to exit the living room, making sure that I rushed through the kitchen without even so much as a glance towards the blinking phone.

The stairs up to my room seemed to take longer than usual. I dreaded the thought of what lay ahead of me and as I finally reached my room, slowly pushing open the door, my eyes locked onto the cordless phone that sat next to my bed. Silently, I shouted a few explicatives towards the inane object and breathed a regretful sigh as I snatched it up from its holder. The glowing green numbers stared up at me in the darkness. If I was still my usual, clumsy self, it would have taken me ten times to dial the number correctly. But as it was, I was not clumsy nor was my hand shaking or my fingers tripping over the numbers. In fact, my thumb sped over the keypad at a blindingly fast pace. And for another split second, I regretted everything that had happened to me.

"Hello?"

His voice startled me. My mind had tried to drown out the reverberating rings with my own sorrowful thoughts that I barely remembered what I was doing.

"Bella?"

This was it.

I swallowed thickly. "Hey, dad."

He sighed contentedly and I could just make out the winning score of the Mariners game in the background. "So how's it going down in Florida?"

"F-Fine," I struggled. My jaws locked as I inwardly told myself to calm down. "Everything's been fine. I've just been getting ready for the habitat trip." Not knowing if this would even work from such a far distance, I did my best to focus in on the same kind of false memories that I did for my mother and Phil. To my dismay… he believed me.

"Good, good," he huffed. "You know, I'm glad your mother is letting you do this. It's about time that you got out there on your own and did something with people your own age."

"Dad, I've done things with people my own age," I sighed, letting my body collapse over the bed. The soft duvet did little to comfort me.

"You know what I mean," he sighed. "Ever since… well, ever since that _boy_ left, you haven't been yourself. I think it will be good for you to get away from everything for awhile."

"You sound like mom," I groaned, rubbing the palm of my hand over my eyes.

Charlie tutted grumpily over the other end and for a few moments I lay there listening to the silence. It was never awkward between he and I. The silence was always the best part. It was comfortable. Home.

"You know, if you need anything – anything at all – I'll come up there to get you."

I chuckled slightly, imagining him sitting on the couch, beer in hand, pointing his finger at nothing in particular with a serious expression on his face. The image helped to ease the pain, but it was only fleeting.

"Dad, you're going to fly all the way over to Ecuador to come get me if I need you to? Sounds like a pretty big feat. You wouldn't even survive in a different culture for a whole hour."

"Now that's not true," he argued, huffing loudly.

I smiled despite myself as another wave of silence echoed over the line. The soft background noise from the t.v. lingered over the air until I finally heard his voice once more.

"I'd do it for my girl," he breathed. It was so quiet that in a normal situation I would have had to press the phone to my ear. As it were, his words spoke to me in volumes.

Tears instantly sprang to my eyes as I fought to keep my voice from breaking. For a moment I had to hold the phone out at arm's length just to allow my pillow to absorb the sounds of my quiet sobs. How could I do this to him?

"Bells? Are you still there?"

Quickly, I wiped the tears away and brought the phone back to my ear. "Yeah, I'm still here," I managed. "Listen, uh… I just wanted to call to say goodbye."

I heard him swallow thickly over the other line. "Goodbye?"

"Well, you know… I doubt I'll have reception over there plus even if I did it would be long distance so… anyway the point is that I won't be able to talk to you for a while." I was rambling like an idiot, but if I was being honest with myself, I couldn't find it in me to care. Rambling meant being on the phone longer and being on the phone longer meant that I could hear his voice for a few minutes more.

"Oh," he breathed. After a moment, I heard him chuckle softly. "Well, you know it's your fault that your mom will be calling me every damn day to see if I've heard from you, knowing that I haven't."

I let out a hearty laugh as a few stray tears slid down my cheeks. "You're probably right."

"That means you owe me one, Bells," he teased.

I nodded, unable to even speak the words in that moment. "Yeah…" I whimpered, cringing as my voice cracked. Thankfully, he didn't seem to notice and if he did, he never let on. Deep down, I knew that if I wanted to I could have tapped into his mind.

But I didn't.

For however long I exist, I will never want to know his true thoughts when I have to tell him goodbye. That is a kind of torture that not even the most excruciating of wounds could come close too. Not even death.

"Well, Bella, your old man is falling asleep over here so I guess I'll see you when I see you."

_No, you won't_.

"Be safe on your trip and have a goodnight."

_Please don't go… _

"Dad," I nearly choked out.

He paused on the other line… waiting.

"I love you."

_So very much…_

"I love you too, Bella," he murmured. "Now, go on and get to bed. It's late." And somehow in his voice, it was obvious that Charlie knew something was wrong. Eventually, he always figured it out. "I'll… I'll talk to you soon."

_I wish you would._

"Okay," I whispered.

"Alright… goodnight, Bells."

_Please don't hang up… _

I gasped silently for air, my fingers clutching the side of the bed as I suddenly found myself sitting up. There was that silence again. My eyes darted around the room, as I tried to think of something – anything – to say to him other than that dreaded word. But I couldn't.

"Goodnight."

_I'll miss you._

For a moment I thought he would say something else, but the soft click followed by a deafening dial tone rang loud and clear in my ears.

It was as if a part of me had died all over again. Only this time, no one would be there to comfort me when I needed it the most. The two people who made me what I am today were now gone and out of my life. Forever.

I didn't sleep that night. My tears were allowed to escape. My cries softly echoed through the room. And as the hours passed by, I sat beneath the window that overlooked the main road, staring out at the blackened sky. The stars did not shine for me tonight. The moon did not comfort me with its brightness. All of the lights had been put out and with them, the warmth that used to still softly flicker deep within me. All of it was no more.

~*~*~*~

Half an hour before Verrin was to pick me up, I stood in my bathroom staring at the dark circles that rimmed my violet eyes. A box of "chocolate brown" contacts sat next to the sink, beckoning me to mask the monster that I felt I had become. Last night had hit a new time low for me. I had never sunk so far into my depression. And yet it felt normal for me to be like that. Hollow. Empty… It was almost second nature to me now – like tying your shoes, or riding a bike. It was only natural for me to feel my life slowly slip out of my grasp.

At one point during the night, I felt as if there had been a presence somewhere out in the darkness, watching me. It was a familiar feeling, warm and tingly, as if I had known whoever it was. But as much as I searched the black sea of houses and empty yards, I found nothing. Whoever it had been, hid well from my sight and I found no trace of them once the sun lit the grass in a vibrant wave of green.

Two honks resounded outside, startling me from my thoughts. My heart thudded with the eminent calls.

"Bella, Verrin is here!" my mother yelled from the bottom of the staircase.

Quickly, I put the contacts in, muddying the amethyst crystals with a brown haze. The light flipped off with a quick flick of my fingers, closing out a part of the room that I would never seen again.

Rushing over to my duffle bag, which sat at the foot of my bed, I grasped the nylon handles firmly in my hand. Slowly, I straightened up, allowing myself a moment to cast my sight over every corner of the room – the bed, the desk with my computer, the closet, the bookshelf that was now nearly empty. Several of my favorites had been stuffed away in the bag that I held tightly in my hand. They would be my only comfort now.

Sighing, I reluctantly turned my back on my past and walked through the doorway that held my future. Each step felt like an eternity. I barely heard the wood creak beneath my feet as I stalked down the stairs. I hardly registered the sight of Verrin's black car parked outside my home. For in that moment, my mother stood at the front door, an illuminating smile gracing her face.

"Phil had to leave for work early today," she told me as I stepped down in front of her. "But he told me to tell you to have fun and to keep in touch. Although I'm pretty sure that last part was meant to ease me," she teased.

I smiled, fighting another round of tears. "Thanks mom."

She quirked her eyebrows up in confusion, the smile still plastered on her face. "For what, baby?"

"Just…" I bit my lip, already feeling the anxiety well up from deep within me. "For everything."

A soft chuckle escaped her as she shook her head. "Well, I'm always here to help."

"Yeah," I breathed, looking quickly out the door. Verrin sat quietly in her car, a nail filer in hand to keep herself busy. I would have to thank her at some point for allowing me the little bit of extra time.

Finally, I turned back to face Renee. "Love you, mom," I murmured, leaning in to give her a tight hug.

"Love you too, baby," she cooed, rubbing my back. "Be careful out there, okay? I want detailed, descriptive letters from you at least five times a week."

"You do know that there's a delay with the delivery time and all right?" I laughed, taking my first steps outside.

"Well, you know, at least write five a week," she insisted, waving her hand about in the air.

I nodded, "Will do. I'll see you." It was lame. I was lame. But I couldn't stay there any longer. I had to get this over with soon or I would lose it. Verrin's car was close and as if she could sense my nerves slowly shredding away, she climbed out and jogged around to the back to pop the trunk.

"Ready for the trip?" she asked excitedly, reaching her hand out to take my bag. The look in her eyes alone told me that I just needed to hold on a bit longer.

"Um… yeah. It should be fun." I handed her the duffel bag and watched as she closed the trunk, the sound echoing in the air around me. From the reflection in the side of her car, I could see my mom standing on the front porch, her hand above her eyes to cover the sun as she watched us prepare to leave. A strong urge to run to her overtook me in that moment. I wanted to be younger again, to have her hold me and tell me things would turn out okay. But it wasn't that easy anymore.

"Bella?" Verrin called, standing by the driver's door.

_One minute_, I silently told her.

Without thinking, I allowed my feet to carry me quickly back towards the front porch. I didn't bother to look into my mother's gaze as I ran into her embrace. I just stood there, hugging her to me tightly, fighting to keep my strength alive for this moment.

She wrapped her arms around me, rocking me back and forth gently. "I'll miss you, Bella," she whispered in my ear.

My chin began to tremble as I gripped her to me tighter. "I'll miss you too, mom. Try not to freak out too much while I'm away, okay?" I joked, finally releasing her. "I'll call you soon."

And with that I took off in the opposite direction towards the black Audi that called out to me as a safe haven, away from all of the torment that seemed to surround me in that very moment.

The car door shut, I let out a strangled sigh, and Verrin instantly sped off, away from the one thing that I longed to turn around and go back to.

"It'll be alright," she whispered after a few moments. "They're going to be fine. _You're_ going to be fine."

I scoffed quietly as my breathing began to pick up in short, shallow breaths. "I wouldn't be too sure about that."

It didn't take long for us to arrive back at her house where the rest of her family awaited my presence. Verrin offered to take my bag for me, but I curtly refused the offer and took my own luggage into the home, bracing myself for the impact of voices that would soon bombard me.

Catherine stood from her seat first, setting down her cup of coffee. "Bella…"

I didn't have to look at her to know that the resentment in her voice told me of her true feelings. "If there's anything that we can do…"

I let my bag drop to the floor but remained silent. My fists clenched and unclenched on either side of me. From the corner of my eye I could see Gabriel sitting in his usual chair by the fireplace; his eyes cast downwards. Damian stood gazing out the back window, his hands hidden within his pockets. Alex was the next one to speak, stepping away from his position behind Catherine.

"Eventually you'll get over it," he reasoned.

His words were like a knife to my heart, twisting and slicing its way through the flesh. My eyes hardened as I shot him a warning glare. "What?"

He shrugged, casually moving across the floor at a graceful pace. "One day you'll forget about this moment and you can focus your energies on something more important."

Pools of red swirled before my eyes as his voice fired an electrical shock to my heart, incinerating the fragmented threads of my sanity. For the second time of me ever knowing this man, the back of my hand connected with the side of his face; flesh striking flesh. Alex landed with a loud thud against the floor, causing a slight vibration to ripple through the floorboards of the mansion. Tears streamed silently down my cheeks as I glared at him through the watery mist that clouded my sight. There were no words to describe how much I hated him in that very moment.

"Damn, Bells. That was one hell of a swing."

My body instantly froze; the muscles constricting, tensing. That voice. I knew that voice. My heart picked up several beats as I scarcely allowed myself to believe that the owner of that familiar sound was actually there. Slowly, I turned around, finding the source of my momentary comfort.

Jacob Black stood several feet behind me, leaning against the doorframe that led into the living room. His hair was cut shorter, his physique more defined, his stance taller; much, much taller. And yet, the same foolish smile that always lit his face was there, glowing back at me.

"Though, I have to say, he deserved it," he teased, giving me a wink.

Even then, I couldn't find it in myself to return the smile, not even a small grin. I could only stand there, staring at him as if I had seen a ghost, not even caring to wipe my tears away as they soaked the top portion of my shirt.

Gradually, the happy demeanor that cloaked his features began to slip away as he took in my appearance. "Bella," he called out to me, pushing himself away from the doorframe and walking over to stand before me. I had to look up at him now, as he stood at least a foot higher than me. His dark eyes searched mine until the wall that I had built up around my heart had finally crumpled to dust. All of the pent up sorrow that I had felt since the beginning of this whole charade burst free. I felt myself collapse into Jacob's arms, crying hideously loud into his shoulder.

"Hey," he whispered, rubbing my back up and down. "It's going to be okay, Bells. It'll be okay."

For hours, it must have been, he held me in that room. Eventually, people mingled into other portions of the house, but I stayed with my best friend, crying out for those who I had lost. He would brush my hair out of my face every so often or wipe a stray tear that slid out of the corner of my eye. But after my sobs had quieted, we just sat on the couch in a comfortable silence.

I had missed him.

"Jake," I croaked out, leaning my head up to look into his darkened gaze. "Why are you here?"

He sighed, lightly patting the top of my knee. "It's a long story, Bella."

"One which will have to be explained later, I'm afraid," Gabriel interrupted. We both turned to see him enter the dimly lit room at a brisk pace; a hard intensity masking the wisdom in his violet eyes. "I hate to bother you two but the sooner I say this, the sooner you both can be on your way."

I sat up a bit straighter, looking from Jacob to Gabriel in confusion. "On _our_ way?"

"Yes," Gabriel concurred, sitting down in the chair across from us. "Jacob has been informed of our plans and while you're in Forks, Bella, you'll need a place to stay. The pack already knows that you'll be there."

"The pack? Wait… what? There's a pack?" I instantly began raking my brain for any recollection of a pack of werewolves in La Push. Hadn't Verrin made a mention of them at school yesterday? Or maybe that was my mind getting the best of me.

"The pack of werewolves that Jacob is apart of," Gabriel assured me. He gave me a knowing glance as if to tell me I wasn't crazy.

I turned to Jacob who was now looking down at me in amusement. "Guess there's a lot I need to tell you, huh?"

"You have a pack?!" I burst out, my eyes growing wide.

"Bella," Gabriel insisted, catching my attention. My cheeks instantly burned in a bright red flame. Jacob chuckled beside of me but I quickly jabbed him in the ribs.

Gabriel eyed us dubiously before continuing. "Now, you will be staying with Jacob and his father in La Push. Verrin and Damian will be going with you to help you train and focus on your powers while you're there. Of course they will also be there to relay any information that I may have to give to you and the pack. But Bella, your main focus is to keep an eye on the Cullens."

Jacob's body immediately tensed at the mention of their name and I shot him a wary glance before focusing back on Gabriel.

"I have spies in Volterra who give me the information that I need, but they don't know everything. It is very rare that we infiltrate anything, Bella, and especially rare that we disguise ourselves to do something like that. The fact of the matter is that we need more information. I know that Aro has had numerous conversations with several of the Cullens, Carlisle in particular. But I need to know what has been discussed. I need to know if there truly will be a war in the near future, and if there is, will the Cullens be on our side? Furthermore, the leader of Jacob's pack is now in Nova Scotia conversing with another wolf pack on this very subject. You see..." He adjusted himself in his seat, leaning forward so that his face was merely inches from mine. "Word has been spreading through the wolves about Aro's brother."

"Caius," Jacob growled as his body began to tremble. I turned to him, alarmed at his fierce reaction but he instantly calmed down. "We heard of the story in Siberia but we don't know the full extent of it," he told Gabriel as he ran a hand haphazardly through his hair. "I wish we did."

"What happened in Siberia?" I asked.

Gabriel turned his attention back to me, his eyes glowing vibrantly. "Rumor has it that Caius and a few members of the guard were out seeking the wolves, more than likely to massacre them."

I gasped in shock, already feeling my own body quiver in rage at the idea. "But why?"

"They're our enemies," Jacob hissed.

Gabriel turned from him, sighing. "More importantly, Caius is deathly afraid of them. He's stopped at nothing to try to extinct the whole race. The point is that the Siberian wolves are not easily willing to talk with those outside of their pack. And knowing Aro, _if_ such an event has truly happened, he will twist the story around to make his brother seem the innocent one. My spies do not go into Volturi headquaters, but Bella, you can."

His violet eyes glowed brilliantly as I listened intently to his words. Still, there were some things that didn't make sense. "But why can't you just tap into their minds? Why go all out and expose one of your own kind to them?"

"That's what I'd like to know," Jacob chimed in but instantly quieted the moment Gabriel turned his gaze on him.

"It's a little more complex than you think, Bella," he insisted, slowly moving his eyes back to me. "You have a better gift than any of us on honing in on your powers. Verrin already told me of how you convinced your father that you were going on the trip. That feat is not easily done. We usually have to be in close proximity to the person we want to focus on. To put it plainly, all of us have essentially the same powers, but everyone is better at some and worse at others. You happen to be very good at this game. Whether that has something to do with you being able to block Edward's power or not, I don't know. But that's another reason why Verrin and Damian will be with you – they'll help you sort out your own powers and strength. You are after all, the chosen one out of all of us. Your gifts are bound to be ten fold against any of ours," he explained. "So, you see… we still need you. Not to mention that you already have a past with the Cullens. I hate to put it so bluntly, dear one, but you're our easy way in."

"Oh goodie," I huffed, resting my chin heavily in my hand. "You know, being a leader and all kind of sucks at times. No offense or anything."

Gabriel grinned as he leaned back into his chair, his eyes sparkling bemusedly. "None taken."

"So, Bella's a true super hero, huh?" Jacob asked, poking me in the side. "No more falling down the stairs or tripping over your feet?"

"Poke me again and I will have you eating the floor, Black." I grumbled only to be met with his hearty laugh.

"Sure, sure."

Verrin skipped into the room, then, gracefully sitting down on the arm of Gabriel's chair. "Damian and I are ready when you two are," she chirped.

I looked at Jacob uneasily but the two of us eventually stood up. "How's… Alex?" Even saying his name made me wince.

Verrin grinned. "Apart from a nice bruise staining his jaw, he's fine. Besides, it'll go away in less than an hour. I think he's just more upset about hurting you."

"What?" I asked in disbelief. The last thing that came to mind with Alex Rigas was compassion. "Hurting me? Right."

The four of us walked towards the front door where Catherine and Damian were already standing outside.

"He really does care about you, Bella," Verrin insisted. "I know he doesn't really show that and he seriously needs a lesson in thinking before he speaks, but he really does like you. He's more upset with himself right now more than anything."

I stopped on the front porch to turn around and face her. The idea that Alex liked me made me feel somewhat happy, but I still wasn't convinced. It was like Edward saying that Rosalie would just have to deal with me. Like that made me feel better.

"Listen, he can stop moping about it. I'm over it now and well… I'm not sorry for hitting him but…" My foot began tapping rapidly against the wood as I bit my lip in frustration.

"Don't worry," Verrin chuckled, throwing her arm around my shoulder as we made our way down the stairs. "He'll be fine."

"I'll tell him something," Catherine mused as she closed the trunk to Verrin's car. "Your stuff is already in there. You and Jacob will take the Audi and Verrin and Damian will follow behind you."

"Alex isn't coming down?" I asked.

Catherine grinned and shot her eyes up to a window on the third floor. "Too embarrassed."

Verrin giggled by my side but her laughter instantly died away as her eyes grew wide. I followed her gaze to where Damian was loading up the Aston Martin. "We are NOT taking that damn car!" she shrilled. "Do you even know how much attention we're going to get in Forks with that _thing_? Your stupid James Bond car." Huffing loudly, she storming across the lawn to the silver vehicle.

Damian slammed the trunk down, a little too hard. "Don't mock my car."

"I'm not driving this thing," Verrin insisted, crossing her arms defiantly.

"Good," Damian sneered. "Because you're not driving it." He instantly marched over to the driver's side and opened the door. "Care to get in, little sis?"

Verrin stood gaping at him, her violet eyes narrowing into slits.

"Those two," Catherine sighed as she rolled her eyes. "They'll never grow up."

Gabriel appeared by her side, quickly giving her a kiss on the cheek. "No, but it's amusing to watch them."

I turned around from the display, intent on finding Jacob. So, it really shouldn't have surprised me when I found him gawking at Damian's car like a two-year-old seeing Santa Claus in the mall for the first time.

"Wow…" he breathed. "Can I touch it?"

"Jacob!" I called out, jamming my finger in the direction of the Audi. "In the car, _now_." Irritated didn't even begin to describe the mood I was in.

"Yes, mom," he sighed, his lips twitching into a grin as he loped across the yard.

"Don't even start with me." I was about to open the handle to the driver's side when Jacob beat me to it. He snatched up my hand, holding it in the air between us, a mocking glint sparkling in his eyes.

"Bella, this is an Audi R8. Now, I know it doesn't mean much to you, but this baby has a V8 engine and goes 60 miles per hour in 4.4 seconds. If anyone is driving this, it's me."

I gaped at him. "What? No, I'm driving Jake."

"Like hell you are, Swan. Now get your scrawny butt over on the other side and let the real man drive."

I shrieked in protest as he hurdled me around the side of the car, effectively taking me away from the driver's seat. "Fine," I stammered, turning around to jab my finger into his chest. "When we get to La Push, we're going to race and I'm going to beat the shit out of you."

"Looking forward to it, Bells," Jacob grinned as he ran over to his side of the car.

Huffing some more, I reluctantly climbed in, grimacing as Jacob bounced in his seat. And if I was being honest with myself, I think he even squealed a bit. It was like being with a fangirl.

"Hey wolf!" Verrin called out from behind us. "If you even so much as put a mark on my car – "

"Yeah, yeah," Jacob sighed, instantly starting the engine to drown her out. "Ready to go, Bella?"

"Ready as I'll ever be," I sighed, glancing out the window. Catherine and Gabriel waved at us as we drove by and I did my best to smile in return.

Jake and I were quiet for most of the ride through town. It wasn't until we pulled out onto the interstate that one of us finally broke the ice.

"So, how are you, Bella?" he asked me, turning his head in my direction. "I mean _really_?"

"Really?" I repeated. I leant my head back against the seat and shrugged. "I don't know, Jake. _Really_, I've had to say goodbye to both Charlie and Renee. _Really_, I have to go see the one person who hurt me the most. And _really_… my life feels like it's ending, not starting anew."

Jacob was quiet again as I continued. He hardly ever moved except to change lanes.

"I haven't seen Charlie since I left Forks, Jake," I murmured. "I've talked with him several times, but… that's been it. He was supposed to come down to visit one weekend but got called in to work."

"Yeah, I remember that," Jacob finally said. "Laurent had shown up in the area, looking for us. He killed a bear and nearly killed two campers out in the woods in his search."

"Why didn't he just kill the campers?" I asked. The memory of the nomads from last year was still pretty fresh in my mind. Of course, I had seen Victoria recently, but I had not seen Laurent at all. I don't think she had even mentioned his name.

"He's been staying with the Denali clan. You know… your favorite leeches' family."

"He's what?" I blurted out, instantly turning in my seat towards Jacob.

Jacob merely shrugged as if it was no big thing. "Yeah. He's been staying with them. They've all been called to go to Volterra by the way. Anyway, since they don't feed off of humans, he's been learning to do it too."

"So… you guys are what – good pals now?"

He snorted loudly as he shook his head. "Hardly, Bella. I still remember what his little friend did to you last year. Not to mention, my distaste for vampires has increased as of late."

I winced, knowing all too well what he was referring too.

"It doesn't help that I can still smell the redheaded bloodsucker," he grimaced. "In any case, Laurent had stalked the boundary to La Push, hoping to capture our attention. With as much raucous as he had caused, we were already out on patrol to find him. So, it wasn't that hard to locate him." He instantly chuckled as if remembering something from the past. "It was tough keeping him alive, Bells. Seth nearly ripped his head off."

"Wait… Seth? As in Seth Clearwater?" I asked, astonished.

"Yeah, Seth, Paul, Embry… even Leah. Sam is the leader of our pack."

"Leah's a werewolf?" I exclaimed, completely astounded by this turn of events. Not that I was against the notion, but the girl hardly had patience for anything. The whole idea was mindboggling to say the least. "Is it even normal for girls to turn into werewolves?"

"Dad says it can happen, but personally, I think the line was just too desperate when it got to her," he smirked. "With everything that's been going on, Bells, people have been changing more quickly to be part of the pack."

"Anyway, Laurent had come to us to warn us about the Volturi's plans," he continued. "We were told that he would be coming but we didn't plan the welcoming gift he left us to clean up – hence the reason Seth went nuts. Although Paul actually went after the leech first – "

"Wait, so who informed you of Laurent exactly?" I asked, wincing at the loud noise of a semi as we passed by.

"Alex did actually. He showed up one day at the res and asked to speak with dad. The whole pack had a meeting that night on the beach where we got to meet him. He told us of the Treviarons and of Gabriel, why they were there and what the Volturi were planning. Then he told us about you…"

I held my breath, watching the way Jacob's fingers clenched the rim of the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white. "If I had have known what you were going through, Bella – "

"Jake," I interrupted him, gently placing my hand on his forearm. "There's nothing that you could have done. Besides you were getting all wolfy so it's not like you could have helped me even if you wanted to."

A small chuckle escaped him, shaking my hand as his body trembled. "Wolfy, huh? Still, Bells I wish I could have been there with you."

"I wish you would have told me about you becoming a werewolf, but things don't always work out the way we want them to."

He sighed and released his death grip on the wheel. "I'm sorry about that. We aren't supposed to say anything to anyone. Kind of like how Ed - the leech," he instantly corrected. "… didn't tell you about what he was until you guessed it. But, now that you're a superhero, I guess things work out, eh?"

"Please," I sneered, crossing my arms in annoyance. "I am _not_ a superhero."

"Bells, I saw you slam that guy into the ground. You made the house shake. Do you even know how powerful he is? Sam ran after him at full speed when Alex took him off guard. Poor guy was flung forty feet out into the ocean. Try to imagine the stench of dog hair after it's wet. And we're not talking normal dog hair either."

"Alex threw Sam?" I screeched, my body instantly tensing. All feelings of acceptance over Alex's earlier behavior flew right out the window. "That little son of a –"

"He was doing what was necessary, Bells," Jacob interceded. He threw me a cautious look, begging me to calm down.

"Yeah, well still…" I cast my gaze out the window, watching as rain clouds began to roll across the sky. "There's just so much that's gone on, Jake. I don't know what to do anymore."

"Well," he let out, turning to me as I caught his gaze. "Why don't you start from the beginning?"

For the next several hours, I told Jacob everything – from meeting Verrin for the first time to this morning when I said goodbye to Renee. All of the information that Gabriel had passed on to me, the pendant, the pictures of Treviaron members, Lukas, almost everything that I had gone through since meeting the Rigas family was mentioned to him. However, I was careful to leave out the nightmares. That was something that he didn't need to know about now, and hopefully, not ever.

"So, basically you're like a God…" Jacob mused.

I sighed exasperatedly. "No, Jacob. Immortal warrior."

"Who's like a God."

He chuckled at my overly annoyed expression. "Jake, please be serious."

"I am being serious," he retorted. "Bella, I bet you could kick my ass plus all of the packs' and the Volturi's all the way to flipping Antarctica from _here_ – at the same time! Although, I don't like the cold and I don't like penguins, so don't do that please."

For the first time that day, true laughter bubbled up to the surface, escaping my lips. I gripped my sides tightly as I doubled over in the seat. "Penguins? Antarctica? Are you insane?"

"No, and I'm not joking either," he chuckled. "You don't have any clue as to how powerful you are do you?"

"I don't know, Jake," I sighed, settling back down. "I really haven't tested my strength at all. At least not my physical strength."

"Yeah, that is pretty cool that you can manipulate minds like that," he commented, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.

I turned to him, a mischievous tingle rippling through my spine.

"Oh no," he retorted. "You are _not_ driving the car. Hell the fuck no."

"Language, Jake!" I laughed. "Don't make me clean your mouth out with soap."

"Sure, sure," he teased. "Like you're one to talk."

Still giggling, I let my head rest against the seat one more time. "Don't worry, I don't feel like driving anyway."

"Yeah, you do seem tired," he readily agreed. When I shot him an agitated glance, he held his hands up in surrender for the briefest of seconds. "Seriously Bells, you do seem like you're tired, besides you stayed up all night last night so –"

"How did you know that?" I asked, sitting up a bit straighter in my seat. "I didn't tell you that."

A soft blush crept across his face as he diverted his eyes to the road. "Well… uh…."

Realization hit me then and my eyebrows must have shot up into the top of head. "So, you're the one who was watching me last night! I knew it was someone familiar."

"Oh… you caught that, huh?"

"Like a God, remember?" I mocked, pointing to myself. "I miss nothing."

A thin mist began rolling through the air the closer we got to Washington. It would have taken several days to make the trip, but with Jacob's speed, we were soon already halfway there. Eventually, the sleep that my body deeply missed caught up with me. And for the rest of our trip, all was blissfully silent in my mind.

~*~*~*~

A ray of light shone brightly before me, illuminating the darkness that once clouded my sight. Slowly, my eyes began to focus. What was once a large circle of light changed into a dozen small circles, and then into even smaller ones, until a thousand miniscule beads glistened on the windowpane before me.

"Bella," Jacob called out. His voice was soft, echoing around me. "Bella, we're here."

The soft pattering of raindrops hitting the roof of the car set a steady rhythm for my heart as I gradually began to awaken. A large streetlight stood above us, shining its rays through the watery crystals that shielded my sight.

An inaudible grunting noise escaped me as I pushed myself up. "What time is it?" I asked, stretching my arms out.

Jacob turned off the ignition and began spinning the keys around his finger. "It's just about midnight. Verrin and Damian are parking around back."

I nodded, leaning forward in my attempt to look at the Blacks' house that stood before us. "It's pouring."

"It's Forks," Jacob shrugged. "What did you expect?"

He turned to me then, flashing a brilliant smile before pushing himself out of the car. The rain began to pour down harder as he ran over to my side to open the door. "You know, I could've figured out how to get out on my own," I sighed, using the side of the car to push myself out. Instantly my face was pelted with ice-cold water.

"I didn't see you trying," he teased, slamming my door shut. "Come on, let's get inside."

The streetlamp sent a flood of light to cover the muddied ground as we sloshed our way through the rain. Even with the late hour, Billy had left the lights on and was awaiting our arrival at the front door. His face beamed at the sight of us.

"Bella," he called out, pushing the screen door open. Jacob grabbed hold of it to let me in, turning around to motion to Verrin and Damian who had just made their way to the front of the house.

"Billy, it's good to see you," I replied, bending down to give him a hug. He squeezed me tightly for the briefest of moments and then backed away from me slowly, careful not to meet my eyes as he wheeled himself down the narrow hallway that led to the kitchen.

"I'm glad you all are finally here. I wasn't sure how bad the storm was going to get."

I followed him timidly, turning around every so often to catch Jacob's gaze. Verrin and Damian were close behind him. "Yeah, I almost forgot how much it rains here," I stammered, fidgeting with my soaked sleeves as I entered the kitchen.

Verrin appeared instantly at my side and gave me an encouraging squeeze. "Hi, Mr. Black. It's good to finally meet you," she beamed.

"My," Billy gasped, turning his wheelchair around to face us from the kitchen table. "You do look like the Cullen girl."

"Dad," Jacob chided beneath his breath.

"No, it's okay," Verrin quickly replied, returning a warm smile towards Billy. "Bella was pretty shocked too. It was the only way that I could really draw her in."

At that, Billy raised his brows in surprise, slightly intrigued in her story. "Is that so?"

"Actually, I look like this." Within a few seconds, the long black locks that trailed down her back, transformed into a vibrant blonde. And once again I was staring at the _real_ Verrin – or considering the last time I saw her like this – the scary Verrin.

"Wow," Jacob breathed, his eyes wide as he took in her full appearance. "That's certainly different."

Damian immediately stepped in front of his path, blocking the view of his sister. "Don't even think about it."

With a shocked expression, Jacob held his hands up in the air, a mocking grin plastered across his face. "Take it easy, man. I wasn't going to do anything."

However, the hardened cold glare emanating from Damian's gaze told him otherwise. "Uh huh."

"Have you talked to Charlie?" I spluttered, feeling like a complete moron as I stood by the sink, idly playing with a stray thread from my sleeve. Maybe I could have come about that topic in another way but the tension was too much. I didn't know whether to be sick from hearing the banter of my friends or be worried over the fact that Billy was completely sidestepping the obvious thing that was on his mind.

_Yes_.

"Not yet, Bella. Why?"

A sardonic grin curled its way across my lips as I let out an irritated breath. "I think you know that I can read minds, Billy." Slowly, I looked up at him, propping my back up against the counter for support. "So, let's try that one again."

Startled, he cleared his throat a few times in his attempt to correct himself. "Sorry, Bells. I just… I don't know how to talk to you about him without making you upset. I know you had to say goodbye to him last night, so – "

"So talk to me, Billy, because you are my only link to him," I pleaded, rushing towards the table where he sat. Placing my hands down on the rough wood, I bent forward, searching the aged and worn gaze that stared back at me. "Please."

He sighed wearily. "It's late, Bella. Why don't you get some rest? I promise that Charlie's doing fine."

Rest. I had slept for almost the entire drive here and yet my body still craved sleep. The strength that I had once felt slowly began to wither away from my limbs, making them more flexible and light. "I wish it were that easy," I whispered, casting my gaze to the floor.

Jacob gently placed a hand on my shoulder, steering me towards another area of the house. "Come on. I'll show you where you and Verrin are staying."

My night was fitful – nightmares continued to be my constant plague. Images of Edward crying out to me in the forest veiled my mind's eye. At times I would find him – beaten… broken on the ground. And at other times he was nowhere to be found. I was lost without him.

Verrin was watching me anxiously as I woke up in a cold sweat the next morning. She didn't say anything, merely gazing at me forlornly in silence as I struggled to peel off the sweat-soaked sheets from my legs.

And from then on, as the hours counted down the minutes, the minutes diminishing to seconds, I felt as if I was in hell. Every waking moment, every breath, every move that I made wasn't mine anymore. I was doing what someone else commanded of me. I was the marionette to Gabriel's puppeteer.

Verrin bustled around me, bobby pins shoved between her teeth, as she fussed over my now very blonde hair.

"Blonde," I grunted as we stood in front of the small mirror in the Blacks' guest bedroom. "You made me go blonde."

"A curvier, brown-eyed, sexy blonde," Verrin squealed. "Rosalie may not be going back to Forks High, but Alice will sure tell her about you. She'll be so pissed." A delightful grin curved her lips as she pulled my bangs back.

"Yes, because that's what I wanted to do on my first day back." Rolling my eyes, I continued to let her primp and fuss over my new appearance. It hadn't been easy to change. I was told to focus on the features that Verrin wanted me to have but that turned out to be a much bigger disaster than we had planned for. So, she ripped out a magazine ad that showed similar features and made me study them. Again, it took several more tries, but eventually I was able to morph from blonde Bella to brunette Bella and back again with ease. Sort of…

"You need to figure out how to cover up your roots next time, because your hair can not look like this every day," Verrin nagged, digging a pin into my head. "And don't forget to change your contacts tonight."

I winced as the small rounded edge grazed past my scalp. "Rough much? Besides, I think I did pretty well for my first try."

"First ten tries," she mumbled irritatingly.

"Whatever," I shot back. "It's not like I've been given a lot of time to process anything since I've met you people, so I apologize for my lack of competence in the matter. You'll just have to get used to it."

Verrin was quiet for a moment; her hands paused above my head. I watched her face fall ever so slightly before she continued fixing my hair. Guilt consumed me for the briefest of moments. I wanted to apologize but then I didn't see why I needed to. My entire life had been flipped upside down and I no longer had control over it anymore. It was terrifying to say the least.

By the time Verrin was finished, my newly blonde hair had been straightened; its tips feathering lightly over the top of my chest. My bangs had been pulled back, held in place by two bobby pins that crisscrossed over each other. I didn't feel like myself, nor did I look like my normal self, but it was what I had to do.

My bag was already packed and sitting on the floor by the front door as I walked through the kitchen to enter the foyer. "It's all ready for you," Verrin said, giving me an uneasy smile. "You'll be fine you know. Don't worry about today."

I smirked as I bent down to pick up my bag. "Easier said then done."

"Aren't you going to eat?" she asked quizzically, her eyes concerned. I exhaled loudly, averting my gaze from her own as I chose to avoid answering her question. She merely nodded sadly before stepping further into the kitchen. "Good luck."

The pattering of bare feet shuffled ahead of us as Damian and Jacob sat down to eat their breakfast. "You'll be taking the Audi, Bella," Damian muttered, his voice coated thick with sleep. He glanced up at me, the vibrant blaze of his amethyst eyes glistening through the dark locks of his hair. "You look good," he commented. The sultry accent didn't cease to send delicious chills down my spine but I would be damned if I let him notice.

Jacob on the other hand… well…

"Damn, Bells," he breathed. "I hardly recognize you."

I stood awkwardly, hand steadily hovering over the door handle incase I needed to make a quick exit. He lopped over to where I was, his dark eyes studying my new appearance. "You look amazing," he whispered as the corners of his mouth twitched into a boyish grin. I blushed furiously, which only elicited a few chuckles from his lips. "Although," he breathed, leaning in, his breath feathering out over my face. His fingers gently tucked a few blonde strands behind my ear. "I like the old Bella much better."

My breath hitched as I backed myself into the door, shooting Verrin a warning glare. Nervously, I began grabbing for the handle. "Sorry, Jake. I've got to go," I stammered, nearly falling backwards onto the front porch.

"Still clumsy, I see," he teased, propping the door open with his hand.

Rolling my eyes, I did my best to ignore him as I opened the car door and climbed inside, thankful to be out from under his penetrating stare.

"Don't be late, Bells!" he called out, his voice thick with amusement.

Scoffing silently, I hit the gas and sped out of the gravel driveway towards the main road. Jacob's laughs echoed for miles after I had left his home.

_Jerk_.

Forks really hadn't changed much since I had left. A light rain continued to dampen the green, alien forest that surrounded me on both sides as I drove into town. Eventually, a small local diner appeared on my right and I stopped at the stoplight across from it, slowing the Audi to a gradual halt. I sighed loudly as I anxiously glanced at the clock.

It was still early. Really early.

Golden, brilliant eyes flashed through my mind. My palms began to sweat at the thought of seeing him again. The erratic beating of my heart raced until its pulse rang uncontrollably in my ears. _Edward_. I was going to see Edward.

I gasped loudly, clutching my chest as the reverberating sound of a car honking behind me brought me back to reality. The light ahead had turned green. Hands shaking, I grasped the steering wheel tightly and took off down the road.

The strangest tingling sensation began fluttering in the pit of my stomach – like butterflies. Ignoring the feeling, I looked in the side view mirror. The shadow of a car behind me could be seen angling across the road, but I couldn't see the car.

"Really? Are you going to follow me _that_ close?" I seethed. My eyes darted up to the rearview mirror. "Seriously, dude. Get off my ass –"

Our eyes locked; gold meeting brown. It was _him_. I had forgotten to breathe. The world around me seemed to dissolve in that one second. If someone had asked me what day it was, the year, or even my name, I wouldn't have been able to answer them. "Edward..." I whispered, still lost in his gaze. He stared at me strangely then and once again I heard the loud honking sound.

_What are you doing?_ His voice roared loudly inside my head. _Get back on the road!_

Gravel kicked up into the air, smacking the side of Verrin's car as the wheels began to pivot dangerously over the curb. There was at least a ten-foot drop off that led into dense forest, right where my car was headed. "Shit, shit, shit…" I muttered, instantly turning the wheel and righting myself again. Damn him and his damn hypnotizing gaze. It would figure that I'd cross into the danger zone the moment I saw him. My heart felt as if it would burst right out of my chest and I had no doubt in my mind that he could hear it. It would be one thing if I could play it off for the _almost_ accident. But it was another thing entirely when it happened _before_ hand. "Dammit," I hissed.

I chanced a glance up into the mirror once more. His brow was furrowed as he still stared at me with the strangest intensity. It was as if he heard me. _Well, of course he heard you_, I scolded myself silently. _He's a_ vampire!

Thankfully, the school was now visible up ahead and I could quickly park the car and sit there until he and Alice walked into the school. There was no way I was getting out when they did, especially not after saying his name like that. I wanted nothing more than to crawl inside a hole and never come out.

Students milled around the parking lot, laughing and carrying on about some party this Friday night. And the more I focused in on the voices about this party, the more I began to recognize Lauren Mallory's voice. "Figures," I smirked.

Eventually, I pulled the Audi to a stop in a spot furthest away from the main doors. I could hear the soft purr of the Volvo's engine as Edward pulled into the parking lot. And as much as I tried, I could not still my erratic heart. "Breathe," I whispered, shutting my eyes as I turned the engine off. "Just breathe."

My lungs welcomed the fresh oxygen, effectively soothing my frayed nerves. Slowly, I opened my eyes. The first person to step out of the silver Volvo was a short, pixie-haired girl.

"Alice," I murmured, instinctively pressing my fingers against the window as if that would get me closer to her.

She paused mid-stride and turned her head to the side slightly, as if recognizing my acknowledgement of her.

_Crap_. I turned away from her suddenly and dove down to the side to retrieve my bag. Hopefully, she wouldn't come over here. I then remembered what Verrin had told me several nights ago - Alice and I weren't strongly connected anymore. She would have no way of knowing my future. When it came to me, her cards were now empty.

With that sobering thought, I straightened up and glanced towards the main doors. A streak of bronze hair sped through the entrance, instantly setting my nerves on fire.

I hated him. I loved him. He lied to me and therefore I _should_ hate him. But no matter how much I battled with myself, the only thing I could think of was running to him and confessing everything. I wanted to tell him that I knew why he left me, that I still loved him and that I wanted to be with him. I was immortal now, so what was stopping me?

"Dammit, Bella." I smacked myself across the face, effectively bringing me back to the present. "Stick with the plan."

Huffing, I climbed out of the car and slammed the door shut. I _was_ going to stick with this plan, no matter how crazy I thought it was. Several students passed by me, some looking at me curiously, others ignoring me entirely. And as I watched them, I slowly began to comprehend the truth - Bella Swan no longer existed to the real world; at least not to these people. I was now Marie Rigas and thanks to Damian and Alex, all of my records from Jacksonville had been successively altered and transferred to Forks High, essentially making that part of this plan worry-free.

The brown locks that once cascaded down my shoulders were now stained blonde. My eyes were almost black due to the muddied brown that covered my true violet gaze. People could no longer tease me about my pallor, because Verrin had made sure that my skin was stained a light brown. And now a black Audi R8 replaced the old beat up truck that I once used to drive. There was _nothing_ left of Isabella Swan anymore - she was gone.

"Nice ride," a familiar voice called out to me.

Startled, I turned around to see Tyler Crowley eyeing my car. "Um… thanks." I nodded awkwardly and proceeded to enter the main school entrance, hoping he wouldn't follow me in.

"Hey, you're new here, right?" he called after me, catching up with my strides just as I entered the building.

I groaned internally and plastered on the best smile I could manage as we turned down the hall that led to the central office. "Yeah, just moved here."

"Tyler Crowley," he greeted, sticking out his hand. I grasped it hesitantly and nodded. "Marie Rigas."

"Sweet name," he commented, instantly putting on an annoying accent. "Rrrigas. Do you roll the 'r'?"

"What?"

"Hey, Tyler!"

I spun around quickly at the sound of Mike Newton's voice. If there was ever a way to start off the day poorly…

"So, you're the new girl, huh?" he asked, a wide grin spreading across his face. He clapped Tyler on the back a little too roughly, effectively butting him out of his way. "I'm Mike."

"Uh... yeah. Hi," I stammered, already feeling the blush creep across my skin. Hesitantly, I watched Tyler eye Mike viciously before outstretching my hand. "I'm Marie. Nice to meet you."

Luckily, Mike didn't seem to notice Tyler's glare. The last thing I wanted to do was to be the cause of a testosterone war. "You came from Jacksonville, right?" he asked. "A friend of ours recently moved down there. Maybe you know her."

The room began to spin. My brain went through every possible scenario of ways to escape. "Oh yeah? What's her name?" Continuously, my eyes began darting towards the central office where I was to retrieve my second school map.

Mike adjusted the straps of his bag, still grinning idiotically. "Bella Swan."

My heart picked up into overdrive and I quickly looked down at my feet. "Um, no, I… I don't think I know who that is. Probably didn't go to the same school," I muttered. "Uh, listen… Mike was it?"

He nodded enthusiastically only to be nudged in the side by Tyler. "And Tyler, right? I've got to go get my map and schedule, so… I guess I'll see you around?"

"Absolutely, Marie," Tyler replied. "We'll meet you at lunch. There's a big table of us, we'll make sure there's a seat left for you."

"Perfect," I smiled. "I'll see you guys later."

It wasn't that I didn't want to see them, and honestly I should have expected the welcoming party, but I don't think I was quite ready for it yet. The first bell chimed overhead and I, thankfully, dodged every single frantic student who was soon to be late as I made my way to the office. Everything was still decorated the same as I glanced from plant to plant that sat on the outer edges of the main counter. A few whisps of red hair peeked out from over the top of the counter as I walked forward. Already I recognized the receptionist.

"Well, hello dear," she smiled, looking up at me as she pushed aside a few wire baskets filled with colorful flyers. Her small eyes twinkled cheerily. "You're Marie Rigas, correct? I have your schedule and your map here ready to go for you."

I smiled warmly. It was nice to see a familiar face who didn't necessarily know _everything_ about Bella Swan. "Thank you." She handed me the sheets of paper and told me to come back if I needed any more help.

And so my first day back to Forks High had officially started.

Class after class, I reintroduced myself as Marie Rigas, nervously fidgeting with my hands and blushing furiously as everyone stared at me. Thankfully, neither one of the two Cullens were present in my morning classes. And to my relief, Angela ended up sitting beside of me during second period.

"It's nice to meet you," she greeted me sincerely. "You seem like you'll definitely fit in here. Mike and Tyler told me that they had already met you."

I nodded, pulling out my notebook. "Yeah, they were pretty nice."

She snorted comically. "And I bet a little overbearing, huh? You'll have to excuse them. They can be a bit much sometimes. But you should definitely eat with us at lunch today. I'll meet up with you and walk you over to the cafeteria. Where's your fourth period class?"

From then on, it was like everything was back to normal. Angela met me after my class was over, officially putting me in a decent mood for the time being. The sound of hundreds of voices buzzed loudly in my head as we entered the lunchroom but I smiled as I followed her to her table. Jessica was there along with Lauren, who seemed to be too busy inspecting her nails. Tyler, Mike, and even Eric were sitting across from them. As soon as we entered, Mike shot up from his seat.

"Marie! We saved you a seat," he gestured towards the spot beside of him, his smile hopeful. It didn't fail to escape my notice that Jessica instantly scowled.

"I'll just sit across from you, if that's cool," I reasoned, sending him a small grin. Jessica looked up at me and smiled.

"Hi, I'm Jessica. It's nice to meet you."

I dropped my bag down and stuck out my hand. "Marie. It's nice to meet you too."

Lauren curtly waved in my direction but went back to telling Tyler about her party this Friday night.

"You should come to that by the way," Eric interrupted, extending his hand to me across the table. Lauren sneered, as she had to lean back. "I'm Eric Yorkie." He adjusted his glasses with one hand as he shook my hand in the other. "It's nice to meet you."

"You too," I replied, instantly feeling welcomed into the group already. It was nice being with them again. I had forgotten how great it had felt.

Angela sat down beside of me and pulled out a sack lunch. "So, how do you like Forks so far?"

"Um… it's alright. Wet," I muttered, shrugging absently. Verrin was kind enough to pack me a lunch and I began unzipping my bag to pull it out.

"Well, don't expect it to change much," Jessica sighed. "It's rare that we ever get sunshine here."

"And terrible for the hair," Lauren whined, frowning at her split ends.

"Oh… that sucks." I slowly rifled through my lunch bag and pulled out an apple. "You know for the hair and all..."

Jessica and Lauren both turned to me, staring curiously. Why was I constantly bit by the awkward bug? I mean really.

"So, Marie, are you going to Lauren's party?" Mike asked, shoving a corner of his sandwich into his mouth. "It's going to be great. You'll meet lots of new people and I'll be there to show you around, and – "

Butterflies. There they were again. It was as if a magnet had caught hold of my body, its forces turning me towards the cafeteria doors. My heart began hammering within my chest as its pulse successfully drowned out Mike's voice. "Who is she?" I asked meekly, nodding my head in the direction of the beautiful vampire who had just captured my attention.

Alice gracefully floated into the lunchroom, a small smile curving her full lips.

"That's Alice Cullen," Jessica murmured to me. "She's the youngest daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Cullen. They have five kids total, all adopted," she insisted. "But they're all kind of dating each other. She's with this other guy, Jasper. He's away at college right now. And then Rosalie and Emmett are the older siblings. They're also off at school… I think." She frowned, pouring dressing over her salad.

The urge to reach out and hug Alice coursed through me suddenly. She still looked the same with her short, black pixie hair sticking out at the sides in various angles. Her arms swung carefree by her sides as she bounced every so often to get to her table.

"Anyway," Jessica continued, momentarily grimacing at the pizza sauce that dripped from Tyler's mouth. "That's disgusting."

"Then don't look," he shot back.

Rolling her eyes, she flipped her hair over her shoulder and turned to me again. "They just came back to school recently after disappearing back to Alaska for few months. Actually, they left as soon as our friend, Bella did. You see, she used to date Edward, the youngest son in the family," she said animatedly, flinging her fork around in the air. "They had this horrible breakup at the beginning of the school year and then she kind of split to Jacksonville to live with her mom once he and his family left. It was all really weird."

"I miss her," Angela sighed, absently staring off a spot on the table. I smiled sadly, wishing that I could tell her that I was, in fact, Bella and that I had missed her too.

"And that's Edward Cullen," Jessica whispered, leaning closer to me.

My head swung towards the door. The blood rushed to my face, staining my skin a bright red. His eyes were locked on mine but only held my gaze for the briefest of moments.

"He's one of the hottest guys in school," Jessica sighed as he walked past us.

A troubled look crossed his face as he shoved his hands into the front pockets of his jeans. An all too familiar deep crease indented his forehead as his body tensed. Now with my acute senses, I could see the fine details of his pale skin furrowing, spreading out into thin methodical lines of anxiety. My fingers itched to be able to smooth them away.

"He's really quiet and hardly gives any girl the time of day, so don't even think about it," Lauren chimed in.

I stared after him, watching as he sat down with Alice. "Wouldn't dream of it…"

In that moment two sets of tawny eyes looked up at me. I blushed profusely and turned away, wishing that Verrin hadn't pinned up some of my hair. I would give anything to hide behind all of it right now.

"Oh my God," Jessica squealed, dropping her fork excitedly. "Yay, new gossip!"

Angela began giggling by my side as Lauren scoffed, "What is it with the new girls?"

I looked at them curiously and then shifted my gaze to the guys across from us. All three of them seemed to be too interested in their food, especially Mike. In fact he was practically pulverizing his chips. "Uh… Mike?"

"I'm fine," he growled out.

"What's going on? What new gossip?" I looked to each of them, searching for an answer and was about to tap into Jessica's mind until she looked up at me, her eyes sparkling.

"You," she murmured.

I stared at her blankly until she finally smirked, picking her fork back up. She leaned in close, motioning for me to scoot closer to her as she began whispering secretively once more. "Okay, don't turn around, but Edward Cullen is totally staring at you."

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**A/N**: Yeah, I ended it there. I'm evil, I know this. ;) It's not my best writing kids, so I apologize. I've read over this time and again and I'm sick of looking at it and changing things, but that still doesn't mean that I missed a typo or could have reworded something differently. I'll try to do better next time, I promise.

So... I know you guys are going to want me to update soon and we all know how that probably won't happen. Not that I don't want to update soon, but my free time has just been shot to hell... lol. If I had things my way, I would be able to write 24/7 and keep you all updated more frequently. As it is, real life can suck sometimes. So, I ask you all to please be patient with me like you already have been.

Anyway, you guys are awesome! Thanks so much for all the wonderful reviews. They make me happy :)

Another thing, I'm going to be adding a link to a new banner that I've made that has Bella (or KStew) with blonde hair... lol. Hopefully, you'll be able to find it amongst all the other things I have posted in my profile.

And before I go, I want to give a shout out to twi-ction, DoctheWriter, and NiceIceEdward for reccing this story over on their profiles and such. You girls win at life XD I heart you! *hugs*


	14. Ch 12: The Past is Never Gone

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing in this story except for my own little plot line and any characters you may not recognize. Everything else is property of the genius Stephenie Meyer.

**A/N**: There are several things I would like to address in this note, so bear with me here. But before I get into all of the serious business....

I want to say** THANK YOU **for all of your kind words *hugs times a million* Seriously, I struggled with the last two updates and your reviews made me feel incredibly overwhelmed and happy. I never have enough time to respond to you all but I do read all of your reviews and your words do not go unnoticed. Thank you so much for the support on this story, everyone. :) And, just because I felt like it, I've made a new video for this story. (Think of it as a gift from me to you). You can find it in my profile, titled: "Secret Prophecies: Nightmares." - basically, this touches a bit on Bella's nightmares, things that will happen in the future of this story, AND you get to hear a little bit of Gabriel. ;)

Okay, on with the nitty gritty stuff...

Firstly, I apologize for the long wait for another update. *sigh* But, I thank you all again for your patience. Also, it's been one of those days where I just wanted to get this posted for you all and I've been through it time and again. So, if I missed a typo, etc., please forgive me. lol

Secondly, several of you have been asking me questions that I always fail to respond to, so I thought I'd make things easier and answer them here:

**1) Will Bella be able to stay with Edward now that she is part of the Guardiani de Trevia?** I don't know. No really, I'm not telling you that... yet. ;) But, for those of you wondering why she hasn't asked that question yet, she will. Trust me, I have this whole scene in my mind that I'm sort of building up to, so just give me a bit of time to get to that.

**2)** **Why isn't Bella more confident?** OK... let me just make this clear (if it hasn't already been made - and if not, I apologize) but Bella hasn't exactly been an immortal figure for that long. She's still trying to get used to everything and in the next couple of updates, I'll focus on her training, etc. a bit more. Also, keep in mind that she can manipulate minds if she chooses too (which again, she's still learning how to do). I'm not saying anymore than that, b/c that last part is sort of explained in this update. Think of it like this... if Bella is consciously focusing on doing something it's more difficult for her. But if her emotions get the best of her, sometimes she does something powerful (like kicking Alex's bootay) without realizing it. It's something she still has to master.

**3) Wouldn't the Cullens be able to recognize Bella even if she were in disguise?** Yes, some of you think a step further ahead than I can write. ;) I'm not answering this as this update basically gives you that answer.

**4) Does Edward know it's Bella?** See above question. lol

**5) Can Bella hear Edward's thoughts?** She can if she _chooses_ to hear them. Her ability to read minds is different from Edward's. Edward is always hearing voices in his head but as the years have gone by, he's been able to tune them out. However, that doesn't mean that they still aren't there. Bella, on the other hand, can read someone's mind if she purposefully taps into it. It's like a switch flipping on and off. She makes the decision on whether or not she will read someone's mind. So, she's not constantly hearing people's thoughts and then chooses to zero in on one. Does that make sense?

Thirdly, like I said above, I made a new video. And no, I'm not making a miniseries!! LOL So many people have asked me this on YouTube. I do not have enough clips to make a miniseries (if you haven't noticed, most of my videos contain a lot of the same footage... haha). I just like making them ;P But seriously, thank you for the comments on them. I'm glad you all enjoy the vids so much :)

**Lastly, I would like to dedicate this update to a truly amazing girl named Molly.** She has been a longtime reader of twi-ction's work (as have I, b/c let's face it... twi-ction is pretty amazing). Molly, twi-ction brought your story to my attention and I can't even begin to tell you how much it touched me. I am thoroughly honored that you and your mother read this story. Your strength has truly inspired me. Thank you so much for being apart of this journey with me! I hope you continue to keep writing and I send you all of my love and best wishes. :)

Alright, kids, on with the story!

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**Edward's POV**:

I walked the halls of Forks High, my head down as I concentrated on the floor beneath my feet. The speckled tiles ran into each other, a white haze speeding past my eyes.

Brown. Her startled gaze entered my mind. The colored contacts she wore masked her true nature as if she were concealing my sight from her very soul, from even the others that surrounded her. She had said my name like a prayer, spilling forth from her tongue, flowing out of her lips. The sound pierced my heart. It was as if a choir of angels had been singing; their heavenly song spreading through every fiber of my being, coating the vessels and nerves that still allowed my monstrous body some capable form of touch, sight, smell – all of the things that were human. There was only one person who could make me feel that way.

Whispers of a name floated through the air. _Marie Rigas_. She was on everybody's mind.

_Just moved here… She's from Jacksonville apparently… Did you see her car? I want that car… Hot blonde babe… Is she going to that party?_

_I wonder if she knows Bella? Oh look, it's Edward. He'd be far better off with me… _

I shut my eyes tightly as I passed by Lauren Mallory. She turned around; her fake blonde locks sending a wave of cheap perfume under my nose. Gritting my teeth together tightly, I quickened my pace.

My family and I had only been back for a week and already I was beginning to hate it. Our excuse was simple. A family member in Denali was deathly ill and we went back there to visit them. It was what Carlisle told the hospital and the school board, so Alice and I followed suit with the plan if anyone asked. Rosalie, Emmett and Jasper spent most of their time at home with Esme, usually keeping watch over the area for any unfamiliar faces.

Leaving Volterra didn't necessarily mean leaving its occupants. We were never safe from the Volturi, even with Aro's permission to let us leave.

Carlisle was especially both interested and concerned about Alice's visions. The violet-eyed beings merely fueled his thirst to know more about the Guardiani de Trevia.

Personally, I was ready to have all of this finished. I didn't like being away from Volterra but that didn't mean that I wanted to be there either. Aro was hardly one to trust and with Alec around, it was increasingly more difficult to get inside his mind. There was no way of knowing if Aro was speaking the truth or not. And if he had his way, there most certainly would be a war – a war that would end in death. Several deaths. It wouldn't just be supernatural beings in danger. Humans wouldn't be safe either. More importantly, Bella wouldn't be safe.

And as I walked these halls, passing by the mere mortals who used to know her, I felt useless. Hollow. Everything that I had lived for seemed to be for Bella alone, but now she would never return to me. How could I have been so naïve, so childish to even think that she would have been waiting for me? I was cruel to her. My lies were poison that slowly killed her heart and with that the beautiful soul that I had been privileged to know. Luck hardly described the chance meeting between she and I. Now there was only regret. Pain. Doubt. But I knew that even if she moved on, I would always love her. And when she passed, so would I.

My life would no longer have a purpose if she were not a part of this world.

_So, what do you think about her? _

Alice stood near my locker, inspecting her nails idly as I approached, her thoughts slowly bringing me out of my own. "Who?" I asked, quickly spinning the lock until the metal door popped open. I reached inside to grab my books for fifth period.

"The new girl," she said, adjusting the strap of her bag. "Oh you're going to need a second notebook."

I glanced at her curiously, hoping to see what was inside her mind. Instead, I received an explanation of binary numbers. "Alice…"

"I'm not telling you a single thing. Now, come on, we'll be late for lunch."

"Oh the horrors," I muttered, closing the locker shut.

She looked at me pointedly as I tucked my books beneath my arm; her tawny eyes boring into my own. "So?"

_Oh right, the new girl_. "She's a terrible driver but apart from that I don't know anything more than what others have thought."

_But wouldn't you like to?_ my inner self taunted. The memory of the girl swerving off the road this morning, flashed before my eyes. Again, I recalled her saying my name before her wheels began to turn. It wasn't the fact that her speaking my name unnerved me. It was her voice.

I knew _that_ voice. But there was nothing about this girl that belonged to the owner who should be speaking with that voice.

"I like her," Alice chirped, skipping lazily by my side. "True, she gets easily distracted but there's something…" She screwed up her face for a moment, thinking, which allowed me access into the several images of the blonde that raced through her mind. "Familiar."

Frowning, I refrained from saying anything more. If Alice thought she was familiar, then there was definitely something about this girl. What it was, I couldn't say at the moment, but I would be sure to find out.

Alice breathed in deeply as we neared the cafeteria doors. "Mmm… pizza. Who's hungry?"

I sighed, rolling my eyes as she giggled and reached for the door. _Ever the optimistic one of the family. _

"What?" she asked, grinning cheekily. "I could have liked pizza when I was human."

"You wouldn't have remembered," I pointed out.

"Well, I can always dream."

"No, you can't."

Alice merely snickered and opened the door. "Always finding a way to dash the mood, Edward," she teased before entering the cafeteria.

I stood outside the doors for several moments, my body tense. As Alice made her entrance, a waft of several different odors engulfed the air around me. I could pick out every spice – or lack thereof – that was used in the school's food. Then there was the smell of each individual human; their blood all unique and equally tempting. I could even pick up the sent of Clorox that the workers used to clean the kitchen counters. But there was something else that stood out.

Something… _familiar_.

The scent was close – very close. It was as if a strange magnetism pulled me towards the very door that my sister and so many others had walked through. I wasn't thinking. My mind could only register the heavenly aroma that guided my feet. I clasped the handle tightly within my hand, pulling the door open.

"And that's Edward Cullen." Jessica Stanley's voice pierced my ears. That smell was here, right underneath my very nose and yet as I looked up to see where it belonged to, my sight fell on that of the new girl's. Her brown eyes were striking, not nearly as beautiful as I had remembered. The fine lines of her contacts were clearly noticeable, but as to what her true color was, I could not be certain.

She stared back at me, her skin flushing a beautiful scarlet hue. It only brought forth the smell even more. Freesias… roses… lavender… Still, that scent – which awakened the monster within me – was not as strong or as potent as I had once remembered it. The fact that I even smelled it alone startled me. Even then, there was something about her, the look in her eyes, which made me want to be near her. To touch her. To_ feel_ her warm skin beneath my fingers.

_Edward, come over to the table_, Alice pressed. _Now_.

Her thoughts were urgent, and so I quickly looked away from Marie, shoving my hands deliberately into my pockets as to keep them from twitching at my sides. Furrowing my brow, I began to grow agitated with my feelings as I stalked towards Alice. More importantly, I was agitated with the person who caused these feelings – the _new_ student. I only ever felt this way about one person, and she most certainly was not _her_.

"You smell it too, right?" Alice asked quietly as I sat down across from her.

I held my breath, afraid of what would happen if I gave in to that delicious scent. "How could I not?"

"It's coming from Marie." Her eyes narrowed as she sneaked a glance towards the blonde. "Curious name, isn't it?" She turned to me then, her eyebrows raised as if trying to prove a point.

My jaws clenched and I tightened my hands into fists beneath the table. "She's not her," I hissed. "She's not Bella."

"Smells like her," Alice commented, her tawny eyes alight with wonder. "Blushes profusely when she sees you and I still can't shake the feeling that I know her somehow."

A low growl rumbled within my chest. I had been reminded countless times of how I had lost the one girl I had ever loved. But knowing that there was someone else on the school grounds, someone living, breathing, who reminded me, in all the little ways of Bella Swan, made my skin crawl. Was she some demon here to torture me? Better yet an angel just out of reach? How was I supposed to handle being around her?

"What bothers me," Alice spoke quickly beneath her breath, effectively interrupting my thoughts. "Is that I can't _see_ her."

I turned to her sharply, troubled by this information. It was rare that Alice ever felt this way.

An anxious expression crossed her face for the briefest of moments before the usual stone mask clouded her elfin features. _She's blurry to me_.

"He's really quiet and hardly gives any girl the time of day, so don't even think about it," Lauren commented loudly, enough to capture my attention. Alice stared straight past me, her arms crossed, but I knew she was also listening.

I turned my head a fraction of an inch in the direction of Lauren's table. It was then that we heard _her_ voice. Every muscle tightened, constricting my body until I was frozen – a stone gargoyle perched on the edge of his precipice, forever tortured. My world came crashing down in a matter of seconds at the breathtaking sound.

"Wouldn't dream of it…" Marie murmured.

Her eyes were on me and I couldn't help myself from looking up at her. A bright red blush spread across her cheeks as she quickly glanced away, ducking her head.

Memories of a shy, quiet Bella in Biology class flashed before my mind.

"Do something," Alice hissed, her gaze directed at Marie.

I blocked off everyone else's thoughts, intent on focusing solely on Marie's mind. She glanced down at her food, a half-bitten apple, and looked over to Jessica as she squealed, "Oh my God! Yay, new gossip!"

"What is it with the new girls?" Lauren whined, her nasal voice reaching greater heights within my ears. I winced slightly.

_Damn Cullen…_ Mike seethed quietly, smashing chip after chip against his lips. _Stupid, freakin', idiotic, low-life, asinine, son of a –_

"Uh… Mike?"

"I'm fine," he spat. Still, regardless of the many curses Mike Newton threw in my direction, I received not one thought from Marie Rigas.

"What's going on?" she asked. "What new gossip?"

_God, this girl needs some major help_, Jessica inwardly barked but soon took it on as a challenge for herself. _It'll be like helping the homeless_, she thought. "You."

Marie stared at her blankly and by this time I was sitting on the edge of my seat, straining to hear something, anything…

Nothing.

Jessica beamed. "Okay, don't turn around, but Edward Cullen is totally staring at you."

I shifted my gaze down to the floor, pretending to be interested in the brown stained tile. If Marie were going to think anything, it would be now. When I was met with more silence, I finally looked up. She was staring right at me again but this time she didn't blush. In fact, her face became rather pale.

_Very_ pale.

A wave of nausea hit me then, a feeling that I had not experienced in quite some time. I shut my eyes tightly as if concentrating would make my discomfort go away. When I finally opened my eyes, the room rocked back and forth for a few seconds, enough to disorient me. I glanced back towards the table as Marie swiftly exited the room. What had I just thought about her? Why did I suddenly smell freesia? I placed my head in my hands, acutely aware of the room beginning to spin. It was as if I had blacked out for the last few minutes, for I couldn't remember anything past Alice leaving me to enter the cafeteria.

_What is it?_ Alice thought, her eyes now boring into the side of my head. When I turned back to her, I caught an image of myself through her mind. My eyes were coal black.

"Get me out of here."

~*~*~*~

**Bella's POV**:

Tears. Hot. Smooth liquid streaming down my face. It tasted like salt.

The halls were silent and the further I ran, the softer the resounding noise from the cafeteria became. Still, the voices were there, mimicking the crescendo of a thousand buzzing bees.

I felt sick. The watery fluid that covered my eyes acted as a thin veil, masking any defining features of the objects ahead. Yet I could still make out the outline of a door that led outside, just beyond the math department.

But I knew my limits.

I slowed to a gradual halt, my fingers lightly splayed across the handle of the door, ready and willing to push it open… and I froze. Waves of rain slowly drifted across the horizon, covering the lush forest in a misty haze. I stared blindly through the miniscule droplets that imitated my tears.

I had hurt him. Verrin was wrong about the Cullens. Though they had their doubts, they were certainly aware of my presence. It would have only taken them a few moments longer to figure it out. Though I had tried to block it out, eventually I did catch on to Alice and Edward's conversation. How ironic that I was finally able to make out the words that streamed together in their lightening fast hisses. Alice couldn't see my future, and therefore that held to my advantage. But Edward… he didn't need special gifts or powers to figure out who I really was. He was the only one who ever truly _knew_ me.

When Jessica had pointed out that he had been watching me, I was naïve enough to turn around. How stupid of me. It was as if I was reliving my very first day at Forks High where I was drawn to a dark angel whose eyes penetrated right through me. There was no warmth in his gaze, only the cold blackness of his hostility. Though, it was different this time. I knew it was not hunger that influenced his reaction, yet it was still inevitably me.

I told myself that I would never access his thoughts and yet what did I do? I manipulated him into forgetting our silent encounter in the cafeteria. It was a temporary solution for my panic. He was too close to figuring it out and yet I blindly reached forward, gripping anything and everything to fight him off. In the end, I watched his face contort with pain, confusion, sadness…

"_You always hurt the one you love."_ Wasn't that an old song? It was supposed to be harder for me to manipulate other minds - not easier. Somehow, despite my resounding guilt, I felt like he and I were even. He hurt me, and now I hurt him and undoubtedly would end up hurting him even more. I wasn't proud of it. I didn't get some sick, twisted pleasure out of watching him suffer. More than anything I wanted him to figure out the truth. There were people who I could turn to when my world spun in a blur. Verrin… Jacob… Yet neither of them were who I wanted to console me. I wanted the vampire – the one with the golden eyes and the soft, bronze waves that crowned his head. I wanted Edward.

But I couldn't have him.

A sharp pain coursed through me then as I closed my eyes, silently letting the last of my tears drip down my chin. When I finally looked outside, the reflection in the window that stood before me was foreign. I hadn't changed my appearance and still the only thing I could see was a broken girl who was too damaged inside to find her way out of the darkness. The only light came from the violet eyes that hid behind her contacts. But it was a false light. It was the train at the end of the tunnel, waiting for her to end her miserable life. How foolish she was.

I sighed, knowing that at some point today I would see Mike or Jessica, maybe even Lauren, and they would ask me about my sudden departure. As the end lunch bell rang loudly throughout the school, an explanation already played through my mind. Slowly, I turned around and walked towards my fifth period class, robotically putting one foot in front of the other.

Students passed by me, whispering animatedly, their eyes always glancing in my direction. Trying to distract myself from the attention, I swung my backpack around so that I could retrieve my schedule as I continued to move through the hall. I quickly skimmed through the list of classes until my eyes landed on the next one.

Human Anatomy and Physiology with Mr. Banner.

Fabulous.

You know that feeling where you think the world is out to get you just because you were having a shitty day? Well, that's exactly how I felt and I began to believe that theory even more as I realized that I had forgotten to stop by my locker after lunch to switch out my books. There was no time for me to run back and make it to class without being late or drawing even more attention to myself, so I reluctantly continued on my route to Mr. Banner's classroom.

The walls were white. A poster of a dissected frog hung on the far side of the square room. Three large windows stood opposite me, staring out onto the main parking lot of the school. The rain pelted the thick glass, easily matching the frantic beating of my heart. This room, smelling of formaldehyde, leaking a cool breeze from the vent that swept past my face, held some of the most important of memories that I had of Edward. My gaze drifted to the seat where we once sat in Biology. His black eyes accosted my mind, slowing turning to gold, which instantly brought a thin layer of tears to cloud my sight.

"Miss Rigas?"

Startled, I turned to look at Mr. Banner. He stared at me curiously and it wasn't until then that I noticed the line of students standing behind me as I unknowingly blocked off the doorway. Quickly I stepped forward, swallowing the lump in my throat.

"Y-Yes, I'm Marie Rigas."

Mr. Banner smiled at me warmly, his dark eyes twinkling from behind the round glasses that sat atop his nose. "Well, from the looks of your transcript, you've already been through most of what we have covered in class." He handed me a textbook and the class syllabus. "I trust that you'll be able to catch up. We'll be starting on the circulatory system today." Absently, he adjusted his glasses as he looked down at a seating chart on his desk. "You can sit over there."

I turned to where he outstretched his arm, pointing his thin finger directly to the table I sat at last year.

My eyes widened as I fixed my gaze on the blacktopped table. I barely registered the rest of the students passing by me.

"This actually works out perfectly," Mr. Banner continued, the sound of a smile in his voice. "I had an odd group of three in here for lab, but now I can split them up. Your lab partner will be Edward Cullen."

Ringing. It was all I heard as every other noise slowly began to drift away. My gaze was still focused on the table where I would sit. I let my eyes travel over the harsh outline of the desk, noting how sharp the corners were. Didn't they say that the devil lived in corners? I swallowed hard as I realized I was living through my own personal hell.

Without responding to him, I walked away from Mr. Banner and towards my seat. The chair was cold as I grabbed the back of it, scraping the metal legs across the floor. Numbly, I sat down. More stares. More whispers. I didn't look up to acknowledge my other classmates. Not even when Mike walked by me, bidding me a friendly hello, nor when Angela smiled my way. And as my back stiffened, my eyes widening minutely as the familiar electricity shot a static frequency through the room, I didn't even look up at the person who walked towards me. I could feel his cold eyes on the side of my head. I heard every soft thud of the soles of his shoes as they hit the ground, the barely audible gush of wind as his arms moved by his sides. But most importantly, his heart was the only one not beating. His lungs were the only ones unwilling to fill with air. His eyes lifeless. His body stone. My mind grew fuzzy as the sound of the chair beside of me scuffed across the floor.

All I had to do was turn my head and I would see him. Though, my body sat frozen in place, my muscles clenching tightly beneath my skin. I felt trapped inside a cage of bone; a body that was not mine.

"Alright, that's enough chit-chat," Mr. Banner sighed, eagerly opening his textbook. The class instantly quieted down. "Today, we're going to begin the circulatory system. Can anyone tell me what systemic circulation means?"

Thankfully, Mr. Banner didn't want to waste time with having me introduce myself. My book sat unopened as I stared down at my outstretched arms. Slowly, I felt Edward stir in his seat. Snow-white skin entered my sight. My heart stuttered within my chest as I watched him carefully lower his arm to the table – next to mine.

The muscles were taut, sculpting his forearm into stone, as if he were a creation from Michelangelo himself. His fist was closed shut, making the blue veins stand out beneath the cold pallor of his skin.

My fingers twitched.

"Mr. Cullen," Mr. Banner called out. "Would you care to tell us what systemic circulation is?"

Edward never missed a beat. "It is the circulation that directly feeds the heart."

My mouth ran dry as I sucked in an inaudible gasp. His voice. I had heard the whispers issue from his lips in the cafeteria, yet they barely held a flame next to the sweet cadence that had just assaulted my ears. My dreams and memories didn't even suffice. I wanted to laugh hysterically. I wanted to cry until my tears pooled on the table before me – maybe even both. Quickly, I flicked my eyes to the right. Edward's right knee bounced up and down repeatedly while his other hand was clenching the edge of the table, his knuckles a stark white.

"You shouldn't clutch that so tightly," I murmured.

It was my mistake. I watched in shock as his body froze. Slowly, he turned to me, his eyes as black as night – two ebony pools that threatened to burn my soul.

However, I didn't shrink away from his frightening gaze. If anything, I was more attracted to it, like a bug drawn to a light.

"What did you say?" he hissed.

"Lab work," Mr. Banner bellowed, waving a stack of papers in the air to gain the students' attention. A resounding groan echoed throughout the room. "I want you all to work with your lab partners on labeling these diagrams. Each of you will receive three copies – one that each partner can keep and the other to turn in to me by the bell. Also, before you leave, I want each of you to write a short paragraph summary on the blood flow as it goes to and from the heart."

I saw nothing but the onyx hostility that spilled forth from Edward's eyes. I was frozen, unable to move even if I wanted to.

And I did want to.

Thankfully, Mr. Banner's voice broke Edward's penetrating gaze. "Mr. Cullen, I assume you know who your new lab partner will be."

Edward turned to the front, scooting his seat as far away from me as he possibly could before nodding curtly.

"Good. I hope you two don't have any problems." Three sheets of diagrams were placed down on our desk as Mr. Banner continued to move around to each table.

I glanced quickly at Edward as I numbly reached for my book. His fists were clenched, hidden beneath the table as he kept his gaze fixed to the floor. The topic of today's class couldn't be that easy for him to bear but I knew his reaction was caused specifically by me. Clearing my throat, I divvied out the papers and opened up the textbook, my fingers easily skimming through the pages until I found a similar diagram.

I was nervous. My breath was uneven and my hands shook, but somehow I was able to speak to him again. "I think that one here is the coronary artery," I said, pointing one finger at our diagram and another at a picture from the book. When I received no response, I turned to him only to find him in the same position. "What do you think?" Yet, he said nothing.

Suddenly, I found myself back in time to a day where I was still human, still awkward and afraid of this perfect creature beside of me. And then something within me snapped. I wasn't inferior to him and if anyone deserved to feel his wrath, it shouldn't be me. He had no right to be cruel to me then, and he certainly didn't now.

"Is there a problem?" I spat, shocked at how clear my voice sounded. Outside, I felt strong, ready to take him on with my words, but deep within me my heart faltered violently.

I refused to infiltrate his mind to read his thoughts, but as he turned his head slightly towards me, I found that I was struggling to resist the urge to do so. Still, not one single word escaped him.

I was infuriated.

"I'm not one to do all of the work on my own," I huffed, hardening my gaze. "Clearly you already hate working with me, so I'll spare us both the trouble and go ask Mr. Banner to change our partners."

Standing up suddenly, my chair scraped loudly against the floor, catching the attention of others. Leaving the diagrams behind, I briskly walked around him, even when my heart shattered at the thought of leaving his side.

"I don't hate you."

It was so quiet, that had I been human, I may have not heard it. I halted my steps, carefully turning around. I had only made it just past our desk.

Edward sat there, his face contorted in pain. Though his eyes where still the color of night, anger no longer resided in them – only sadness, torture. "I… I don't hate you," he repeated, sounding as if it physically hurt him to say the words.

"I never said that you did," I murmured, turning more towards him. "I only said that you hated _working_ with me."

Edward scoffed, his lips twitching upwards into a lopsided grin.

I nearly fell to my knees before him.

"It's the same thing, isn't it?" he asked me, finally looking up to meet my gaze. "Not once have I asked you your name. I haven't asked you where you came from or how you got to be here. You're new and the last thing I should be doing is making you feel even more of an outcast than you surely already feel. Trust me, I've made that mistake once." He sighed, furrowing his brow. "I'm sorry."

I wanted so badly to wrap my arms around him, whisper in his ear that it would be okay and that I was here with him. Instead I moved back to my seat, the urge to touch him dancing across my fingertips.

We were silent for a few more seconds before Edward straightened up in his chair. "You… remind me of someone," he whispered. "Someone I lost."

Tears threatened to leak out over my eyes, but I bit the inside of my cheek, desperately trying to keep them at bay. Shakily, I drew in a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you like that."

He shook his head forlornly, the muscles in his arms still tight but gradually relaxing. "It's not your fault. It was mine."

"Can I ask who it was?" I barely dared to breathe.

His face slowly contorted into a mask of undeniable pain, but in an instant it was gone. "Someone who no longer goes to this school, so really I shouldn't be so concerned over it should I?" He glanced over at the diagram before us. "And yes, that is the coronary artery."

Startled by the change in subject, I quickly wrote down the label on our paper. He gasped slightly and I turned to him, shocked to see recognition cross his face. He swallowed thickly before looking away. My eyes widened as I turned back to my scrawled writing on the paper. How stupid I was. Of course he would recognize my handwriting. "Um… w-would you like to write?" I stammered, handing him my pen.

It seemed to take him several moments before he cautiously lifted the pen from my grasp and spun the paper around on the table so that it faced him. Even though I knew that he could have filled out that diagram in less than two seconds, he waited for me to find him the answers.

Still, my brain couldn't function. I couldn't handle the tension between us anymore. "You said that you didn't ask me what my name was, though I know you probably already know it." He looked up me, his black eyes slowly fading to a muddy brown. Mustering up all of my strength, I outstretched my hand to him. "Marie. My name is Marie Rigas."

His eyes deliberately traveled down to my slightly trembling hand. No matter how strong I was, I would always succumb to him. He could have told me that he was going to end my life and I would have let him. Because in the end, there was only one person who claimed me, and that was Edward Cullen.

The pen dropped, bobbing from one end to the next as it hit the table. And then there was cold. I released a shaky breath as I glanced down at our clasped hands. His skin was like ice against my own, sending wave after wave of delicious chills throughout my body.

"Edward Cullen," he muttered. I looked up to find his face much closer. "My name is Edward Cullen. It's nice to meet you, Marie Rigas."

I was lost – wandering through a sea of darkened dreams that matched the intensity of his gaze.

"I do hope they call this work nowadays," Mr. Banner scolded, stopping at our table.

Edward's fingers quickly moved to my wrist, effectively sending my heart into overdrive. "I was just checking Miss Rigas' heart rate. She was a little confused on the difference between systolic and diastolic flow. I was merely demonstrating the difference in the beats."

Anxiously, I glanced up to Mr. Banner who seemed to believe Edward's lie. "Very good, Mr. Cullen. But seeing as how we are focusing on _writing_ about the flow, I trust you can stop _feeling_ it."

My cheeks flamed a vibrant red as the rest of the class snickered in their seats. It didn't escape my notice that Mike scowled from the table ahead of us. Edward quickly released my hand and returned to our diagram that somehow had been miraculously filled in. Even with my acute senses I still managed to miss him writing everything down. Mr. Banner eventually walked away and I watched in a daze as Edward lifted out a notebook from a small stack of books on the table. "I guess we still need to write that summary."

Awkwardly clearing my throat, I turned back around in my seat. "Um… right." Reaching down to my bag, my hand stopped just above the zipper as I reminded myself that I hadn't been to my locker to switch out binders. Not that it would have helped, seeing as how I was lacking paper in all of them.

"What's wrong?" he asked me.

I kept my head down, afraid of how I would react if I looked into his gaze once more. "Oh, I forgot that I don't have my notebook with me." But that magnetism, that electricity, made my body act against my wishes. When I looked up at him, a wry smile graced his lips.

"Well, you're in luck," he answered, shuffling through his supplies once more. "I happen to have an extra one that you can use for this class."

For the first time that day, I didn't have to force a smile. "Thank you."

We sat silently for the rest of class, working on our summaries. Naturally, we were the first to finish. Edward didn't speak with me as we waited for the bell, and I didn't speak to him either – though I wanted to. After several more minutes, our work was finally collected and as the bell chimed, I glanced back to my side to see that Edward was already gone.

~*~*~*~

The rain had eventually stopped. Water splashed up against the car as I turned into the Blacks' driveway. Bumping along the gravel, I gradually pulled to a stop. Verrin was already waiting for me on the front porch.

I grimaced as I opened the door.

"How dare you almost wreck _my_ car!" she screeched, her hands resting firmly on her hips. "Damian followed you this morning to make sure you'd be okay, but clearly you almost lost it! I could have raced over there and strangled you myself!"

"He followed me?" I spat, my voice livid. Slamming the door shut, I trudged past her, tired of her whining already. "If you were so angry with me that you wanted to strangle me, then why didn't you?"

"Excuse me?"

I turned to her, already changing back into my natural appearance. Long ago, I had taken out my contacts, as my eyes were already growing agitated by them. Our violet stares locked. "I didn't wreck your car," I stated, my voice loud and clear. "There's not even a scratch on it, but if he follows me again, you can kiss your little Audi goodbye. It won't be anything but a pile of scrap metal by the time I'm done with it."

She silently fumed as her body began to tremble.

"Hiya, Bells. What's going on out here?" Jacob opened the front door, carefully eyeing the two of us. Eventually, he turned towards me but my gaze was still fixed on the pixie-like demon behind him. "Um… how was your day?"

Maybe it was his nonchalant attitude that set me off. Maybe it was the fact that Verrin was wearing her Alice-like disguise or the fact that neither she nor her brother trusted me. But eventually I felt myself begin to explode. "I can't handle this," I hissed, shoving past him so that I could drop my stuff off in my room. Within seconds I was back at the front door. Neither Jake nor Verrin had moved an inch. "I'm going out."

Jacob took a step forward, reaching his hand out to me. "Bella – "

I turned my head to the side sharply, effectively cutting him off. "Don't follow me."

Moving past the two of them, I jogged down the stairs and began walking towards the outskirts of trees. Being as tall as he was, Jacob merely took a step off of the porch and he was already on the ground. "Bella, wait," he called out after me. "What's going on?"

I turned my head just enough to see that he was close behind. Too close. And so I ran. The sharp air swept past me as I pushed my legs, beckoning them to take me further away from this place. Jacob didn't follow after me, because he knew as well as I did that he could never match my speed. So I continued to run as their voices lingered in the air.

"Where's she going?" Jacob asked Verrin urgently. "Where is she going?!" he repeated again. I could hear Verrin swivel around and take off in the opposite direction without even giving him a clear answer.

His heart picked up as he turned back to where I had gone. "Bella!"

Blood. It ran through my body, pumping through the arteries, feeding the muscles, which helped me run away from my present. I concentrated on the way it would flow, pulsing and hot from the heart. And the more I thought about it, the more I thought about Edward.

A flock of crows flew overhead as I leapt over a fallen tree. Apart from their caws, the woods were silent. I didn't know how fast I was going only that I kept running further and further away from Jacob, away from Verrin and her brother, away from what I had become – the violet-eyed rogue. She waited for me at the front of Jacob's home, beckoning for my return. "Come," she whispered. "You belong with us."

Faster I ran, hardly growing tired. The sun had begun to drift from its highest peak and it wasn't until I slowed my pace, glancing up at the sky, that I realized it was twilight.

"We don't know who she is," a voice echoed around me. I stopped, frozen in place as my sight zeroed in on every minute detail around me – the fine hairs of a rabbit feeding near my feet, the tiny ants climbing a tree as they burrowed into the pinpoint holes in the bark, the slightest hint of a green bud poking out from its confines on a branch twenty feet away.

"She's nothing to worry about, Alice."

I snapped my attention to the side, turning completely around. There, almost fifty feet away, through the low tree limbs was the outline of a house. Silently, I stalked forward, bringing myself to a stop behind a tall pine.

"You said she was wearing contacts?" another voice said.

"Yes. I could see the rim around her irises," said the other.

"I don't like this," a new voice sighed. "What if she's a spy?"

"She's not a spy!"

My heart fluttered within my chest as I quickly climbed the tall tree, hiding myself behind its thick foliage. Through soft green needles, I was able to see into a window of the familiar home. Had I kept running, I would have truly exposed myself. Inwardly, I cursed my stupidity. They all stood in a circle, Alice at the center, her arms crossed as she glared at Edward. "We don't know that."

A woman walked past them, her palm resting on the side of her face as lines of worry creased her brow. "Esme," I breathed.

"No," Edward clarified, taking a step towards his sister. "_You_ don't know that and that's what's bugging you isn't it? That you can't _see _her."

"Wait," Esme interjected, turning back around to face them. "I thought you said that Alice knew to have you bring a second notebook."

"She did," Edward stated simply. "But that was just it. She didn't know why I'd_ need_ the notebook." He kept his gaze on Alice, his voice treacherous as he spoke to her. "I've been around her long enough today to know that she's not dangerous."

"And how long was that?" A flash of blonde came into view and for the first time since seeing any of the Cullens, I shrunk away. Rosalie stepped in between Alice and Edward, her golden eyes flaming with anger. "How long does it take _you_ to know if someone isn't dangerous, Edward? Especially someone who you _can't_ read. Didn't you just tell us that it felt like you blacked out earlier today? What if she had something to do with that?"

"Babe, come on," Emmett sighed, gesturing for her to step back. She turned to him, her gaze almost becoming violent. Emmett backed up, holding his hands in the air as if in surrender. "Listen, I'm not saying that we shouldn't be cautious, but I don't think she's a spy for the Volturi. We would know that by now."

"Not necessarily," Carlisle interjected. They all turned to him as he stared thoughtfully towards the floor. "She wouldn't have to be a vampire. And if she were she could have far greater powers than any of us have encountered before. But seeing as how she has a heartbeat..."

I let my sight drift from each vampire to the next as the verbal match continued. Alice… Edward… Rosalie… Esme… Emmett… Carlisle… Edward…

_Wait_.

Seven Cullens there were and yet I only counted… six.

A tree limb snapped loudly from behind me. Startled, I turned around, gripping the branches above me for support. Blackened eyes embedded in a mask of white, surrounded by a halo of blonde waves met my sight. A low growl issued through his lips as he bared rows of sharp teeth.

And in an instant, the feral aggression in his stance faded into confusion… fear… recognition…

"Jasper," I whispered, shocked.

He clung to the branches before me; his body merely inches from my own in his predatory crouch. Yet, all I could see were the emotions battling in his gaze. He swallowed, though he had no reason to. His lips parted…

Silence engulfed the air…

And finally he spoke.

"Bella."

-

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Yeah, I ended it there. haha *cue in onslaught of questions* More than likely you're questions will be answered in the following updates, but feel free to keep asking them. I'll probably put up some answers to them in my next author's note. Also, if your questions pertain to why the Cullens still couldn't figure out that Marie was Bella, all I'm going to say is that Jasper will be telling you a nice little story in the next update. ;)

Reviews are love! Thank you again for reading :)


	15. Ch 13: Allies Part 1

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing in this story except for my own little plot line and any characters you may not recognize. Everything else is property of the genius Stephenie Meyer.

**A/N**: Mkay, this is not how I wanted to end this chapter, but seeing as how it would probably take me another month to get to where I wanted the real ending of it to be, I thought I'd split it up and just post the first part of it for you guys.

Thanks for all of your reviews! I didn't see too many questions this time around, so I'm assuming you're waiting for that Texan vampire right? You know... the cute one with the blonde curls? ;) Now, seeing as I couldn't get everything I wanted to fit into this part of the update, there WILL be another Jasper moment in the next part. I'm not saying what it is, I'm just telling you that much... lol. Also, just to make something clear - a lot of you seemed to think that Bella was still in the disguise of Marie when Jasper found her. However, that is not the case. She changed in front of Verrin on Jacob's front porch right before she took off for the woods. Just wanted to clarify that ;)

Big, HUGE thanks to everyone out there who has been pimping this fic around like crazy. In fact, it has been nominated for two Indie Twific Awards! :D I bow down to you all, seriously. If you want to go vote, the link is in my profile :)

To all of you gazebians, ILU SFM. You girls rock my socks. Thank you. XD Also, just an FYI, I've got some people working on SP graphics (mostly icons). When they get their things posted, I'll be putting the links up to them, so thank you to all of you girls helping out with that!

Also, I must put an **INTENSE WARNING** on this part of the chapter. A whole new Bella is stepping out, folks. I hope you like her! And... well, some of you may be happy about the Jasper thing... and some of you may not. I have good reasons for what I do, so try not to get too upset if this was not what you expected. Again, excuse any typos I may have missed... it happens and I can never catch all of them even though I think I do. lol

Alright, enough of this shizz... read on!

-

-

**Part One - Bella's POV**:

_Previously:_

_I let my sight drift from each vampire to the next as the verbal match continued. Alice… Edward… Rosalie… Esme… Emmett… Carlisle… Edward…_

Wait.

_Seven Cullens there were and yet I only counted… six._

_A tree limb snapped loudly from behind me. Startled, I turned around, gripping the branches above me for support. Blackened eyes embedded in a mask of white, surrounded by a halo of blonde waves met my sight. A low growl issued through his lips as he bared rows of sharp teeth._

_And in an instant, the feral aggression in his stance faded into confusion… fear… recognition…_

_"Jasper," I whispered, shocked._

_He clung to the branches before me; his body merely inches from my own in his predatory crouch. Yet, all I could see were the emotions battling in his gaze. He swallowed, though he had no reason to. His lips parted…_

_Silence engulfed the air…_

_And finally he spoke._

_"Bella."_

_-_

_-  
_

Her eyes were wide, their vibrant purple hue glowing in the dark. Fear masked the features of her face as the brown waves of her hair fluttered softly in the cool breeze. Her mouth was parted, frozen into never speaking a single word.

That was how I saw myself through Jasper's mind. He stared at me, perplexed. Stupid didn't even begin to describe the way I felt for being so careless. How did I not suspect him? Why was I not in my disguise?

My mind told me to erase this moment from him for good. But my heart… it was selfish. It told me to cling to this moment, because even though this wasn't Edward or Alice, this was still a Cullen. And despite the very faint relationship that we had, I respected Jasper almost more than the rest.

Silence seemed to claim the space between us, sucking the air dry until there was nothing but tension that sparked like the end of a stick of dynamite. Sooner or later it would explode.

"It can't be." His whisper was barely audible to my ears as the wind carried it through the trees. Slowly, he shook his head as he began to back away.

I moved forward, cautiously. "Jasper."

"You're one of… _them_," he stammered, his gaze wide in alarm.

Panic began to course through me. I couldn't let him go and tell the rest of the family. Not now.

"Wait. Please," I urged, holding out my hand to him as if it would stop his movements. "I'll explain everything, I promise." Without realizing it, a few stray tears slid down the pale skin of my cheeks. I hadn't even felt them cloud my sight. "Please don't leave me," I murmured, my voice broken.

Jasper paused, still clinging to the branches above him. A small frown shaped his thin lips. "What happened to you, Bella?"

I didn't know how to respond to that. There were several things that ran through my mind, yet nothing would have sounded coherent enough for him to understand. "Can we get down from here so we can talk?"

He shook his head, his grip tightening around the wood until the bark screamed in protest. "It would be too easy of an escape for you if we went back down. You're not the same Bella that I used to know. I'm sorry, but I don't think I can trust you."

"Then you obviously don't know what I am," I countered, though I had no intention of sounding cold towards him. I glanced down to my bent knees as I still tried to maintain my balance. "I could get away from you just as easily up here and you wouldn't even realize it."

For moments, he didn't speak and if it weren't for the fact that I could still feel his presence, I would have thought that he left me. As it were, a pale hand lay outstretched before my face.

I glanced up at him, anxious.

"Let's get down then," he resigned, lightly taking my hand in his.

It was strange – being so close to him. He was the main reason that Edward left me, or so I was told. We both remained quiet as we climbed down the tree, easily dropping to the bottom without making so much as a sound. Not even the crickets stopped their song for us as we landed.

Jasper watched me closely as if he were expecting me to run at any moment. Instead, I brushed my hands off on the sides of my jeans and took a seat on a fallen log. We were still too close to the home than I liked but I knew that Jasper wouldn't follow me deeper into the woods. It would only further his suspicion of me.

"I'm surprised they haven't heard us yet," Jasper said as he moved to sit down on the cool grass that swayed softly in the night air.

"They wouldn't," I responded, feeling a little apprehensive.

When he met my glance with suspicion, I quickly continued. "I – I may have made it so that they can't hear us." True, on our way down the tree my fear got the best of me. I didn't know if my power had worked, but seeing as how they hadn't retreated outside to look for us, I assumed we were safe.

"I have manipulative powers," I sighed. "I guess sort of similar to yours, only mine take it a step further."

His gaze was questioning as he said, "What do you mean?"

I bit my lip as I idly picked a few blades of grass. "I can manipulate people's minds into thinking things that have either existed or have never even happened. If I concentrate hard enough, I can even make memories disappear…"

"So, you did erase Edward's mind earlier, didn't you?" he asked me, a sudden alarm in his voice. "And… you were thinking of doing the same to me too. Weren't you?"

Sadly, I looked up at him. "Yes."

Jasper nodded solemnly, his gaze lowered. "I know you won't though. I could feel the guilt radiating off of you in waves when we were up in the tree… it was so overwhelming. That's how I found you, you know."

Peering through the lashes that framed my gaze, I looked up at him slowly. His expression was one of pity. "Why do you feel guilty, Bella? If anyone should feel that way, it should be me."

I shook my head, begging my mind to forget the dreaded memories that tried to resurface. "It was _not_ your fault, Jasper. It was _mine_. I was stupid and clumsy. I –"

"You were human," he finished. Sighing, he let his head drop into the palms of his hands. "And I fell to the slightest hint of temptation. I was the one who made Edward leave this place… leave _you_. He didn't want to though. Believe me, Bella, when I say that."

"I'm slowly beginning to," I whispered as my heart thundered within my chest. Edward's words from earlier echoed in my head. _"You… remind me of someone. Someone I lost."_

"But how did you become like this? Based on your emotions, I can tell that there's a part of you who doesn't want this. Yet there's another part who is grateful for the change." He stared at me intently, obviously conflicted by the clashing sensations. "What happened to you after we left?"

I looked up at the night sky as stars twinkled high above in their ebony blanket. It was doubtful that sleep would come to me tonight. Exhaling loudly, I glanced back at Jasper – the brother of a vampire I loved and the lover of my best friend. I could trust him with everything and for once since I left Jacksonville, I was going to let myself have this moment. I needed someone else to know my inner turmoil and to understand the pain that I was going through.

I was being selfish and I didn't care.

"I moved back to Jacksonville after you all left. For about six months I stayed there with my mom and Phil. During that last month, there was a new student in our school. Her name was Verrin Rigas."

Jasper sat frozen in place, his eyes anxious.

"She had violet eyes," I said, looking up at him knowingly. From that point on, I told him everything - every little detail, including the nightmares, which was something I had spared Jacob. I told Jasper Gabriel's plan for me, where Victoria was, where I was staying and who was here with me. It didn't escape my notice that a sharp prickling sensation danced across the skin of my arms. But I did little to truly acknowledge it. I knew who was out in the woods tonight and yet it didn't deter my motive.

By the time I had finished my story Jasper hadn't moved an inch. The same intensity in his eyes flashed before me, but other than that, he remained a statue. Nervously, I began picking at the hem of my shirt. "Say something."

He blinked once as he slowly allowed his body to relax. "I don't know what to say, Bella. What you've told me…" He let out an unnecessary breath of air.

It was quiet, unnerving. "What happened after you all left?" I asked, my voice barely audible.

I kept my gaze down though I knew he was watching me. "We went to Denali," he said. "Emmett and Rosalie eventually went their separate ways and didn't come back to meet us until we were summoned to Volterra. We were actually here when we got the message from Victoria."

This wasn't new to me because I remembered the red-haired vampire telling me of her story.

"It was Edward who wanted to come back," he sighed.

Shocked, I glanced up at him, anxious to hear his explanation. "Why?"

"Edward lies very well, Bella," he answered, his face forlorn. "He came back here to find you but when you weren't here…" Absently he shrugged as if the defeat were a mere casual occurrence. "He ran into Victoria during a hunt and that's when we found out that the Volturi required our presence. We were probably there for close to a week before Aro let us return."

My eyes widened.

"We only have a few more weeks to make our decision on whether or not to go back to him. With the information you've given me, our decision will be easier."

"You _have_ to go back there," I pleaded, knowing that he had settled to have them stay here in Forks.

His expression hardened into one of distrust, the tawny embers of his eyes slowly igniting into a flame. Yet, there was something holding him back. Maybe he could sense my desperation, but I clung to that moment because it was all I had to convince him to go. "You _must_ go back to Volterra," I choked out, feeling my stomach churn at the mere idea of it.

"Where's Jasper?" Alice's sweet voice echoed through the trees, like chimes dancing in the wind. The both of us turned towards the house where the pixie-haired vampire danced around the room in search of her beloved. Soon she would be stepping outside.

"You need to go," I insisted, abruptly pushing myself up into a standing position, turning away from him to face the grand mansion that hid through the trees. Jasper followed suit. "Why do you still hide from them?" he asked me.

It wasn't a question that I wanted to answer, but standing there beneath his penetrating stare made it impossible to deny his words.

"Because I do what I'm told," I murmured, tilting my head in his direction as I kept my gaze lowered. "I don't know everything that Gabriel is planning. It's safer this way. In fact, it was dangerous of me to even let you know about this, but I had to tell someone." It was only partially true but I didn't want to announce the worst of my fears out loud. For some time now, I didn't let myself come to terms with them. It wasn't until I explained my story to him that I finally realized that real fear of my situation. "It was selfish of me and I apologize."

He watched me timidly kick a rock across the ground, his stare weary. "I don't believe you."

My chin quivered as tears stung the backs of my eyes. Anxiously, I ran a hand through my hair, my fingers digging and twisting at the knotted tangles. "I still…" Breathing had suddenly become a difficulty as I let the pain entirely consume me. "I still hide from them because I can't face _him_ again. It's easier when I'm in my disguise because he doesn't know it's me. I can see him without feeling as if I belong to him, because if I let myself do that…" I gasped as I closed my eyes. For the second time that night, Jasper witnessed my tears glistening beneath the night sky. "I choose to stay away from him because I don't know if I can ever be with him again. What I am… I don't know if I would ever be _allowed_ to be with him again."

A warm sensation flowed through me in that moment. It was like being in my mother's arms – comfort and safety, calmness and relief, soothing tension and disappearing fears. Slowly, I glanced over to him, his golden eyes sorrowful.

"Thank you," I whispered as the last of my tears fell from my chin.

Jasper glanced down – his silent acknowledgement of my thanks. "I'll do my best to keep him out of my thoughts," he murmured, moving gracefully towards the direction of his home.

"Think of something false," I called out to him.

He turned, his features a bewildered mask. "Make up a memory," I continued, stepping towards him. "What would you have been doing out here if you hadn't found me?"

Flickering images like the dancing light of a candle flashed before my mind as Jasper willingly allowed me entrance into his thoughts. _The moon was full, hidden behind the whispers of dark clouds. Leaves fluttered in the wind, singing their nightly cadence as the crickets accompanied their song. He stood on the stoop of their back porch, gazing up at the stars that would peak out through the hazy night. And in the brilliance of the moon, he saw her face. The plumate edges of the clouds mirrored the feathered tips of the ebony night hair that framed her pale skin. Deep crevices issuing a luminescent golden hue mimicked the crisp brightness of her eyes. The rest of her pixie features began to fall into place as his mind let go. Lines of joy crinkled her porcelain skin near the corners of her eyes. _

_She was smiling. _

Reluctant I was to hold on to this falsehood as a burning hole of empty emotions and unspoken words ate through my heart. Soon, I found myself focusing all of my energy on the thoughts that played out in his mind, allowing a protective shield to form around the true secrets of his subconscious. Within a few moments it was over. Done.

We looked at each other – amethyst and citrine colliding in a silent understanding.

"As long as you have that memory, they can never find out the truth," I breathed, knowing that our meeting was at an end.

Jasper nodded once, though his demeanor was still unsettled. "Will you keep me informed?"

"Yes," I answered quickly. "I'll find you."

He made to leave, his motions slow, and hesitated. The wind tousled the sunlit waves of his hair. I watched sadly as they feathered across his pale skin, wishing that I didn't have to go. "What about Alice? Wouldn't she have seen this?" he asked. "I may not have told you, but she has had visions of you before."

I nodded, casting my gaze down. "They were fuzzy to her, weren't they?"

He seemed to be surprised that I knew but quickly agreed. "Yes. She couldn't make out who you actually were."

His words were like a knife slicing through my chest. I swallowed another wave of tears, biting the inside of my cheek before answering. "It's because she and I no longer have a strong connection. She'll never have even known that this happened, Jasper."

Troubled, he glanced down, shoving his hands in the depths of his pockets before turning away from me. I knew from the recesses of his mind that he wanted to stay with me longer, but that could lead to more problems than we needed for one night.

"Keep them safe for me," I muttered, watching him solemnly retreat into the shadows.

The wind carried a faint whisper through the trees, serenading the darkness with a single chant. "Always."

~*~*~*~

Indigo painted the sky, fading slowly behind the onyx silhouettes of the trees. A few dead branches stood out among the rest – meticulous as if someone had dipped a pen in ink and lashed out their anger amongst the argent canvas of the morning horizon.

My foot slipped out of place a few inches, causing several small rocks to tumble off the cliff. The white ripples that they caused in the water forty feet below were of little significance to me. Maybe it was the wind that danced through the surrounding evergreens that calmed my mood. Maybe it was a bit of the blonde vampire who I had just seen only hours before. But as I sat on the edge of this cliff, staring out at the waters of La Push as the sun's rays began to shine its incandescent light against the rippling of the waves, I realized that what I had just done was okay. The slight tingling sensation that I had felt earlier in the night was still with me. I knew what it meant yet I found no true reason to care. I had suffered enough consequences to last my entire existence. I could stand to endure a few more.

The soft, flittering song of a bluebird whirled around me. I sighed, closing my eyes to enjoy its peace.

"He's on his way here, you know."

My moment was shattered, like glass splintering into a thousand treacherous shards. I was hesitant to open my eyes incase I felt the slashes of my reverie bleed away. So, I kept them shut and faced the smooth lulls in the swirling waves.

"I had to tell him," she said. I could almost picture her blonde tresses swirling around her shoulders as she stood behind me, but I tried to block out the image from my mind. "What you did was wrong, Bella."

The tranquil chant of the water below suddenly turned violent. I frowned.

"I saw you last night. You shouldn't have told him."

The waves rolled into each other, crashing vehemently against the rocky terrain below. I opened my eyes and turned to the deliverer of my punishment. Verrin stood before me in all her glory. Her face was drawn into a scowl of pure anger. She was beautiful in her fury but she would not intimidate me.

"Good." There wasn't a need to ask her whom she was referring too. There was only one person she would have told. I pushed myself up, quickly wiping off the dirt from my jeans. My hands slapped loudly against my thighs. "I'm glad you told him."

Narrowing my gaze, I walked over to face her, my fists clenching by my sides. Crossing my arms defiantly across my chest, I angled my head to mirror her challenging stare. "It was _my_ choice to tell Jasper – _my_ choice to let him help us. You may still need to help me in strengthening my powers and teaching me more about who we are, but I've come to understand that not one of you can deter my choices. Not you, not Damian, and not Alex. Not even Gabriel. So, let him come. Let him try to make me change my mind and erase Jasper's thoughts. Because I won't do it and it will have been a complete waste of his time."

"You still have a lot to learn," Verrin smirked, her violet gaze mocking. "You may have very strong powers, Bella, but you're not stronger yet."

Shifting my stance before her, I leaned forward, my face inches from hers. "Prove it."

My entire body shook with a rage I had not known before. I was tired of being treated as the weak one - tired of having everything I loved torn away from me. Immortal or not, I was still seen as inferior. And I would be damned if I stayed that way.

Verrin smiled, a sick kind of beauty screwing up the corners of her lips. Here was the girl I had yet to meet.

In a blinding fast motion, the back of her hand collided with the side of my face. I was catapulted backwards, flying through the air until my back smacked the trunk of a tree, issuing a nauseating crack. I fell limp to the ground, catching my breath raggedly. Peering up through the brown tangled strands of my hair, I watched with wide eyes as she quickly approached me. Instantly, I pushed myself up just as she wrapped her hand around my neck, effectively cutting off my oxygen as she shoved me against the tree. My skin screamed in agony as the rough bark dug deep within my flesh. I struggled to breathe.

"I have done _everything_ to help you and this is how you repay me. This is how you repay _us_," she seethed, her amethyst eyes alighting with fire.

I grabbed her hand, digging my nails into her skin as my feet dangled lifelessly above the ground. She hissed, immediately releasing me from her deadly grasp.

My knees smacked the earth as pain shot through every nerve ending that coursed through my limbs. Gasping for breath, I dug my fingers into the dirt as my body began to shake. The pungent smell of the warm coppery liquid that stained my back tainted the air with its bile and acid. When I looked back up at her, her eyes screamed torture as she gingerly rubbed her hand.

But I had had enough.

When I saw her, I saw every horrid thing that had ruined my once happy life. And I wanted that back.

There wasn't enough time for her to think. I flew at her, grabbing her shoulders and shoving her back against the tree. Flakes of wooden daggers fluttered to the ground around us as I wrapped my hand around her left arm and pulled. A revolting pop echoed through the air and Verrin cried out, her voice tormented as I forcefully dislocated her shoulder. Her head fell back against the tree; her eyes squeezed shut tightly in pain.

"Now, listen closely," I hissed. She smelled of sweat and blood. It hadn't occurred to me in that moment that I was the cause of her stench. Inching closer, I squeezed her injured arm until she whimpered, her eyes pleading. "Gabriel may be your leader but so am _I_." With my other hand I curled my fingers around the course fabric of her shirt, yanking her head forward until her ear pressed against my lips. "And at the end of the day, you answer to _me_."

I let her go. Her body fell to the ground in one heap. She stared up at me, silent tears filling her gaze. Yet I felt no remorse for what I had done. Maybe I should have. Perhaps I was the monster that I feared, that Edward feared he would become. All I saw was red.

A snapped twig startled me as I turned to my left. There was a small clearing about twenty feet away where a doe quietly nibbled on the blades of grass below her. I watched as her lithe neck bent low, her brown eyes blinking slowly as her stomach became full.

_Move away, Bella_.

My gaze focused in on a pair of black eyes that stared hungrily at the doe from behind a small bush. It was Jasper.

_He's out here. Get back to Jacob's_.

There wasn't enough time. I snatched Verrin up off the ground, covering her mouth with my hand as she winced in pain. Quickly, I whirled us around the backside of the tree.

A soft rustling of leaves echoed from behind us. It was so quiet I could have missed it. Slowly, I turned around to peek out from the side of my hiding place.

My eyes widened as my fingers pressed hard into the splintered bark.

I held my breath.

There, crouching low to the ground only ten feet away, was Edward. His eyes were coal black, like those of a great white shark. You never knew when he would strike – all you could see were two soulless midnight wells.

I was hypnotized.

He stalked silently towards the doe, expertly moving over every twig, rock, and bundle of leaves. The muscles beneath his ashen skin were taut, constricting rigidly as his limbs brought him closer to his prey.

He was beautiful.

_He'll hear us!_ Verrin screamed in my head.

_No, he won't_. I had already wiped away any traces of our existence from his mind. In his state, my heartbeat would have easily lured him in and away from the naïve doe.

_Bella. _

I turned my gaze to Jasper, our eyes locking. Obsidian versus amaranthine – two pairs of glistening gems that failed to look away. Images reeled through my mind, like the pages of a book fluttering in the wind. _Edward was running through the woods, his physique deadly and ready to attack the first victim that crossed his path. Jasper followed close behind..._

_...And then he stopped. Edward froze in his place amongst the trailing foliage that surrounded his dirtied boots. His nostrils flared as he breathed in deeply. _ I could smell it – that scent. Strawberries and freesias. Floral and sweet. That scent belonged to _me_. _"Edward, stop!" Jasper's voice rung loudly in the memories as Edward sped off through the trees. "You're going to cross the border. Stop!"_

I gasped loudly. Verrin smacked her hand over my lips, grimacing in pain. A new smell filtered through the air – grimy and pungent.

A piercing howl echoed through the trees. The doe shot her head straight up, her ears alert, her eyes darting from side to side. Frozen muscles made up her strong figure as she stood in fear. And then she was gone, kicking dirt up into the air as she leapt over a fallen log.

The four of us turned in the direction of several rumbling thuds that shook the earth beneath our feet. Panic coursed through me, pumping my heart until the muscles threatened to tear.

_We need to get out of here!_ Verrin seethed, pulling me to the ground as we crawled through the underbrush.

_No! We can't leave them on their own!_ My head hurt from the force at which I kept up to keep Edward from seeing us. _They'll kill them!_

_No, they won't. Not with the impending war at hand. They wouldn't risk losing allies_, she reasoned.

Rocks pinched the skin on my palms as I crawled after her. Already her arm was beginning to heal. _You call me naïve, but you know nothing about this treaty do you? _

_As a matter of fact, I do._ She turned to look at me sharply from over her shoulder. _They haven't killed anything, Bella!_

_But they were hunting on this land! They've broken the treaty!_ I turned around to go back, but as my knees pivoted in the dirt two hands grabbed me and slammed my body down on the ground. My back screamed in protest as Verrin held me beneath her. _You're not going back there so don't even think about it_.

Panting, hot, foul breath wafted over us. I wrinkled my nose up at her as she frowned. Slowly, she looked up as I tilted my head back. A large russet paw stood just at my forehead. I felt my eyes cross as I studied the mud that was caked beneath the sharp claws.

A gust of warm, moist air poured over my face. Instantly, my gaze shot up to the creature's dark eyes. While the rest of his body was unfamiliar and severely hairy, I recognized that glare. _Jacob?_

He blinked as if to confirm my thoughts. Verrin rolled off of me, immediately reaching for her injured arm as she winced. _Haven't you seen him in his wolf form?_ she reeled, sounding more agitated the longer we stayed there.

Slowly, I rolled to my side as I pushed myself up, my eyes never leaving his. Another wolf ran past us and it was then that I heard the overpowering battle of booming growls and deafening hisses. I turned back to where six large wolves surrounded Jasper and Edward. Both were crouched low, their backs facing each other as the wolves walked in daunting circles around them, gnashing their jaws violently.

_What are they doing?_ I screamed silently at Jacob while pushing myself up. His paw came down hard on my back and I whimpered in pain as I was pushed back down to the ground.

Jacob whined, his ears flattening against his head as he instantly released me. _Bella, what happened to you? _His thoughts were loud and clear._  
_

I could only imagine the amount of blood that stained my clothes. The pain was beginning to dissipate but it was still there. _Don't change the subject, Jake_. Wincing, I pushed myself back up. My power still held on Edward's mind, but Jasper was staring right at me. _You need to stop them, _I pleaded, holding on to the vampire's startled gaze. _Jasper and Edward didn't mean to cross the border._

_Just like they don't mean to thirst after blood or just like _he_ left you here broken on the forest floor. I don't need any sympathies for them, Bella. _

_Jacob, they were hunting on their land when Edward smelled me. It's my fault! Let them go. _

Verrin crossed her legs and sat there waiting for us to finish our silent brawl, her expression bored.

I held my breath as I watched Jacob mull over my plea. But finally, with a rush of hot wet air that stained the ground, he made his decision. _No_.

A loud growl ripped through his lips as he charged towards the impending fight. Something flashed before my mind, covering it in warmth and sorrow. I felt tears cloud my sight at the fresh vision – it was Edward's. _He held me in his arms as we lay on my bed. The cold tips of his fingers brushed against my cheek._ I could feel it, even now. _"How could you love a human like me?" I whispered, lost in his amber gaze._ Anguish clutched my heart tightly as I watched Edward focus on the memory, fearing that this would be the end. Six wolves against two vampires didn't fair well. Though I knew that Jacob wouldn't hurt them, he wasn't their leader. Sam was. I turned to see a large, black wolf standing off to the side as if watching the spectacle… waiting for the pack to strike. His eyes were blazing with anger. I had heard that Sam was very forgiving of certain things, but this did not seem like one of them. _Edward's musical laugh danced around in my head. He smiled, effectively sending my heart to match the rhythmic beat of his song. "Silly Bella," he whispered, leaning in close so that the tips of our noses touched. "I will always love you." _

Air spilled out of my lungs as I fell to my knees, shock overwhelming me completely. _Edward loved me. He_ still _loved me._

I turned to Sam, forcefully entering his mind. Based on his thoughts I knew he was going to keep the treaty intact but that didn't mean he wouldn't teach the Cullens a lesson. An image of a wolf's mouth clamping down on Edward's thigh burned its way through my skull. His piercing cry of agony echoed loudly in my mind.

_Bella_, Verrin warned, her tone harsh.

I didn't listen. Blinding hate coursed through me. I crouched down low and took off towards the wolf at a speed no creature that walked this Earth could ever know. Sam stumbled backwards in surprise as I approached him, bracing myself to strike. My jaw locked as I felt the muscles beneath my skin tighten painfully. When I looked into his thoughts now, all I could see was me. _I was bent down low enough to keep the brush from hiding my presence. My tangled, dirtied hair framed the pale white skin of my face. But what was frightening was the slow pooling of black liquid that swirled around the whites of my eyes, filling them until there was nothing but ebony pools of night. _It was just like my nightmare. Though I was startled, I kept my stance. Sam snarled; readying himself to fight though knowing it would do little good. His resistance captured the attention of his pack along with the two vampires they threatened to fight.

_Shit_, Verrin cursed, moving closer to us.

_You _will_ call this off_, I seethed, my mind's voice sounding malicious even to me. Sam's eyes widened. _Don't make me do something I will severely regret_.

For minutes we stared at each other. The silence was becoming unbearable. And then finally, he nodded and turned to walk slowly towards the small group, wary as he stepped around me.

Words were exchanged of which I was too angered with rage to hear, but I saw Jasper nod and grab Edward's arm. A confused expression crossed his face. He looked as if he was physically in pain, much like the moment in the cafeteria when I erased his mind. I frowned as he was pulled away, staggering by Jasper's hold.

Verrin crawled up beside of me. "You nearly ruined everything!" she spat quietly.

I turned to her sharply, unsure of what she meant. "What do you mean? I was trying to protect them! They were going to –"

"You let your hold on him down, Bella!" she cried out. "He saw you!"

I collapsed heavily on the ground as shock flowed quickly beneath the surface of my skin. It wasn't possible. She had to be lying...

"Edward Cullen saw _you_ - a girl who he thinks is miles away right now. You're lucky I didn't erase Jasper's mind while I was at it!" Verrin pushed herself up and began stalking in the direction of the Blacks' home. "Don't bother thanking me either," she fumed, the blonde strands of her hair swaying past her shoulders as she walked away.

I bristled from her words, pushing myself up. "Thank _you_?" I called out, a new wave of anger washing over me.

"Bella."

I turned to see Jacob walking towards me. He wore nothing but a pair of black sweatpants. My eyes traveled over the chiseled muscles in the tan of his skin quickly before flashing up to his darkened eyes. He approached me cautiously, slowly holding his hand out to touch my arm. "Come on, let's get you back." His voice was timid, careful.

I spun out of his reach; too stunned and hurt by everything that had just happened. He was my friend. He was supposed to be on _my_ side.

"Don't. Touch. Me." My entire body shook as I slowly backed away from his arms that once called out to me in warmth and comfort. "Don't," I repeated as he inched closer, my voice shaking as tears threatened to claim my sight once more.

"Bella, I –"

I held my hand up to silence his words. Shutting my eyes tightly, I wished to be anywhere but here. Though that was a feat easier said than done. Sighing, I memorized the image of Marie in my mind and when I finally opened my eyes, my chocolate hair was now blonde, my clothes not dirty but crisp and clean. Yet my heart was still broken. That was something that I could not fix, no matter how powerful I had become.

"I have to go to school," I murmured, keeping my gaze to the ground. "I'll see you when I return."

He reached out for me again, but I was too quick. There was nothing left but a soft breeze that swept past him in my wake.

Verrin watched me as I sped through the woods, her gaze almost apologetic as a lingering image of Edward's stunned face assaulted my mind. And as I ran, his tormented, onyx eyes haunted my every step.

-

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Reviews make Attack Bella very happy. XD To add another note, I'm making a playlist for this story. More than likely I'll be splitting it up into three parts, but the first part can be found in a link on my profile - includes songs and graphics. So, check it out if you're interested in hearing the music that I listen to while writing SP. :)


	16. Ch 13: Allies Part 2

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing in this story except for my own little plot line and any characters you may not recognize. Everything else is property of the genius Stephenie Meyer.

**A/N: **Has it been long enough for you all since the last update? lol Well, firstly I have to thank everyone again for the awesome support! Especially to **Tuesday Jane** for reccing this story on TLYDF. *hugs*

Your reviews have been truly overwhelming, guys. Thank you!

Also, HUGE thanks to my beta, **twi-ction**. That's right, you heard me. The FABULOUS twi-ction (aka goddess of fiction) has agreed to be my beta for _Secret Prophecies_. She. Is. Amazing. XD

Previously:

__

"Edward Cullen saw you - a girl who he thinks is miles away right now. You're lucky I didn't erase Jasper's mind while I was at it!" Verrin pushed herself up and began stalking in the direction of the Blacks' home. "Don't bother thanking me either," she fumed, the blonde strands of her hair swaying past her shoulders as she walked away.

I bristled from her words, pushing myself up. "Thank you?" I called out, a new wave of anger washing over me.

"Bella."

I turned to see Jacob walking towards me. He wore nothing but a pair of black sweatpants. My eyes traveled over the chiseled muscles in the tan of his skin quickly before flashing up to his darkened eyes. He approached me cautiously, slowly holding his hand out to touch my arm. "Come on, let's get you back." His voice was timid, careful.

I spun out of his reach; too stunned and hurt by everything that had just happened. He was my friend. He was supposed to be on my side.

"Don't. Touch. Me." My entire body shook as I slowly backed away from his arms that once called out to me in warmth and comfort. "Don't," I repeated as he inched closer, my voice shaking as tears threatened to claim my sight once more.

"Bella, I –"

I held my hand up to silence his words. Shutting my eyes tightly, I wished to be anywhere but here. Though that was a feat easier said than done. Sighing, I memorized the image of Marie in my mind and when I finally opened my eyes, my chocolate hair was now blonde, my clothes not dirty but crisp and clean. Yet my heart was still broken. That was something that I could not fix, no matter how powerful I had become.

"I have to go to school," I murmured, keeping my gaze to the ground. "I'll see you when I return."

He reached out for me again, but I was too quick. There was nothing left but a soft breeze that swept past him in my wake.

Verrin watched me as I sped through the woods, her gaze almost apologetic as a lingering image of Edward's stunned face assaulted my mind. And as I ran, his tormented, onyx eyes haunted my every step.

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Alright, enough of this shizz. Enjoy! :)

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**Edward's POV**:

Music would not come to me tonight. No chords. No sweet cadences. My fingertips remained motionless above the white, crisp keys of the grand piano. Alice's anger towards me earlier that evening replayed in my mind. She didn't trust Marie and in voicing her opinions, she changed the minds of the rest of the family. Their thoughts were clear to me. _Edward, are you sure?_ and _She could be a spy._ I would tell myself over and over again that I knew I was right when deep down that nagging feeling of hesitancy ate away at every notion I held to be true.

Unwanted breath exhaled through my nose as I sighed. It was silent throughout the mansion as the moon stood high in the night sky. Its luminescence cast an ethereal glow that peered into the windows of the home. The light called out to me, beckoning for me to take shelter in its comfort. Motionless I stayed, however, lonely, cold, frozen into a statue of guilt and regret.

"_Why must you always prove your righteousness!"_ Alice had screamed at me merely hours before. _"Just because you crave the sorrow and the guilt, does not mean that we will feel sorry for you. You're wrong this time, Edward. I will not stand by you on this."_

"_How can you say that to me? You know I don't ask for your forgiveness – only my own." _

"_I loved her too, Edward!" And if tears could take form in our vampiric, alien eyes, they would have glistened in hers. _

"_I think we should wait before we act. Give it time to see if we can find out more about this girl." _

Jasper.

Pinching the bridge of my nose in frustration, I bent my head low, releasing the delicate keys of my cold touch. Jasper was the only one who seemed to reason with me. No one else would.

Silence danced between the shadows that drew dark shapes along the floors and corners of every room. Gently closing the piano, I quietly stood and withdrew to my room, where only my own thoughts awaited me.

The pale, white door stood open, welcoming my presence as I slowly entered the hollow alcove. Quiet I was as I stood in the threshold, my eyes finding places where Bella used to reside… inspecting my bookshelf, running her fingers across the weathered bindings, laying on the sofa where she would read my journals. Her ghost was everywhere, haunting me.

She was here now, sitting on the sofa next to an opened journal. It splayed out against her bent knee. She looked up at me and smiled, her doe-like eyes sparkling under the moonlight. "You should really get a computer to save all of these you know," she said, gesturing to the stacks of diaries I kept scattered about my room. "What if something happens to them?"

I replied with silence, merely watching curiously as I moved forward. My eyes followed the way each chocolate strand of her hair framed her exquisite face.

She fell back against the plush cushions; her eyes fluttering close. "Put some music on, Edward. I want to hear something beautiful." Her voice was barely above a whisper but it was like a symphony to my ears, an arpeggio of flawless notes that spilled from her lips. I did as she bid of me, moving towards the collection of CDs that sat atop one of the many shelves that lined the snowy walls. It only took seconds before Beethoven's melancholy sonata of _The String Quartet in C Sharp Minor_ flowed elegantly out of the speakers.

"Why did I leave you?" I whispered. When she did not answer, I turned around. "Bella – "

There was no one there. Only a vacant space that used to belong to her. The journal still lay untouched, opened beneath the moonlight. I walked towards it, bending down to pick up the rough binding that held the worn pages in place.

The moon's effulgent light cast a shimmering glow across my hand. I froze, lost in the sea of diamonds that reminded me every moment of my misfortune… for what I was, what I had done and what I would never accomplish in the years of solitude that I had left to live.

A pen sat idly on the desk near the far wall of the room. I quickly retrieved it and took my place back on the sofa where seclusion awaited me. With the moon shining vibrantly against my skin through the dark etchings of the tree limbs, I began to write.

_I miss her. _

_I miss the soft curves of her face, the lines that make up her eyes and lips. I long to see the deep crimson blush stain her cheeks or to hear the rich cadence of her laugh fill the air. But all I have are memories – spirits of her being now gone. _

_And I can't help but miss the way she felt in my arms when she slept with the soft sound of a nasal exhale, her eyes dancing beneath her lids and her heart beating to the sound of my song that I hummed to her deep in the realms of her sleep. _

_You try to forget but you can't. Everywhere you go, there she is. She watches you from every corner, her smile almost blinding and you hate yourself even more every time you see it because you do not deserve her warmth and beauty. Yet you crave every mirage, every falsehood that claims to be her because you don't know how you could exist without ever seeing her again. And you want to close your eyes and dream and fall away to a place where there is no unhappiness or regret – only peace. You want to see her lovely face with her eyes sparkling just so and you want to hold her until the feel of her in your arms is too real to be untrue. _

_But every time I close my eyes… _

… _I see her dead. _

_Lifeless. Her limbs drained of energy. Her skin paler than the first sign of snow. Her lips unmoving and never issuing another sound. _

_And I hate it. _

_I hate myself. _

_Every time I see her… in my mind, she is already gone. _

The pen split in two. Black ink splattered across the page, staining my words with its morbid pigment.

Jaws clenched together, I grabbed the small diary, my fingers angrily gripping the rough binding and tearing it apart. The fragile paper screamed in protest as its soul ripped to shreds. A cry of despair and frustration broke through my lips as I threw the two halves of the journal across the room, both of them shattering the glass of the window on the far side. Defeated, I stood there, holding my head in my hands as the wrinkled pages of my reverie fluttered through the air.

Tearless sobs raked my body and I fell to my knees on the carpeted ground. The house rumbled quietly. Silence claimed the whimpering shudders of my voice, leaving me hollow, empty, and forever frozen in my spot, kneeling for the love that I had lost.

"Edward."

I didn't move. I didn't breathe. My eyes stayed transfixed on the jagged edges of glass that littered the floor. They glistened if the moon hit their crystals just right.

It was beautiful.

A pair of vibrant, golden eyes entered my view, blocking the site of my shimmering mirage. His face was troubled as I stared through him, almost envisioning the whitewashed wall behind his crouched form.

Tiny sparks of electricity ran through my dead veins, and I blinked, focusing in on the vampire before me.

"Edward," Jasper repeated, his voice soft. His calming demeanor held me, transfixed. "Come on." Slowly, he rose to his feet, never taking his gaze away from me. I followed him, my body numb. "Let's go on a hunt."

~*~*~*~

The inky obsidian sky slowly began to dissipate into an ardent violet that stained the stars' feathered blanket as the sun fought to break through the moon's domain. If I concentrated hard enough, I could make out the haunted gaze of the new girl I had met only the day before. Cool wind washed over my face as I stood just at the border of the forest surrounding our home. Jasper flanked my side, his eyes searching.

From my periphery, I saw his gaze flicker in my direction. "You ready?"

One simple nod was my response and together we took off into the eidolic woods. Adrenaline coursed through my muscles, shocking them into contraction as I leapt over a fallen tree. A rabbit jumped out from underneath, nearly colliding into my outstretched leg. Soundlessly, I landed, hardly stopping as I sped off deeper into the alien Forks coppice.

Jasper ascended into the air, pressing his feet hard against the side of a tree as he ricocheted off, landing beside of me. The bark of the trunk screeched under the ghost of his weight and a large crack resounded behind us. He grinned at me, his eyes fading into a muddy brown as the faint scent of a deer lingered in the air, flittering softly through the serrated branches.

I pushed forward, challenging him – the fastest vampire wins.

"Not on your life, Edward," Jasper called out, instantly crawling up the side of a tree. He began to leap overhead of me.

"Alice will be so disappointed when you lose," I yelled back, enjoying the rush of ecstasy that flowed past me as I bent low to the ground, increasing my speed.

"But surely she will have already seen my victory." Jasper's laugh was harmonious as he jumped back down, following close at my heels.

The both of us crossed each other's paths as we vaulted into the air, pivoting off of the trees and landing another ten feet away. It was exhilarating, this feeling of being free. Where my words failed to set me at peace, my body exhausted every ounce of distress as I ran.

Freesias.

Heels digging into the dirt, my body halted violently. Though I had no need of the useless oxygen that tainted the air, I breathed it in greedily. Cold, sour venom pooled into my mouth. I could feel the irises of my eyes fuse with the ebony pupils.

_Edward, don't do this_.

Jasper was behind me, gingerly stepping around the foliage. He held his breath.

The sweet, floral scent invaded my nose as I drank in the fragrant aroma. Sharp teeth were bared as my lips curled back ferociously. I hated this scent now, yet craved it whenever it was near. It was a lie – always stabbing me, wounding this soulless creature who was too weak to right the wrongs in his life.

And I _hated_ it.

The monster inside of me ripped apart the bars of his cage, growling, gnashing his jaws in a violent fit of rage and… _hunger_.

I was gone.

"Edward, stop!" Jasper yelled out, instantly taking off after me. I could hear the frantic pace of his feet behind me. "You're going to cross the border. Stop!"

Faster I raced, pushing my body to a new speed unknown to me. This scent, full of every sinful desire that awakened me, was my master – and I its slave.

Growling, I leapt into the air, landing closer to the core of my temptation as the muscles in my calves strained beneath my sallow skin.

I despised it – this mouthwatering bouquet like red wine against the tip of my tongue. It made the pale vellum of my skin crawl, my insides twist, my dead heart tremble.

And I _wanted_ it.

Suddenly, it was gone.

Disappearing into nothing.

Frozen I was as the air cleared the scent from my surroundings. I crouched low, darting my head in every direction, searching, frantic, desperate. _Where had it vanished? Why was it torturing me so? _

Breathing in deeply, I caught the tail end of its wispy aura. It was faint, mixing in with the pumping spice of a doe's blood. I turned sharply, my eyes zeroing in on the quiet animal, extending her neck to feed on the plush grass below.

Jasper entered my sight, rounding the other side of the brush as I crept mutely through the foliage, my mouth salivating with the need to kill.

A deafening howl pierced the air, scaring the doe into a frightful exit as she sprayed a wave of dirt in her wake. Her heart pounded even harder, eliciting a frenzied attack of the monster within me as he struggled to break free.

Resounding thuds shook the earth, causing Jasper and I to turn towards the sound. And then I saw it – two chocolate wisps of hair fluttering from behind the tree merely five feet ahead of me.

Captivated, my eyes focused from the rippling strands to a pack of large wolves bounding towards us. Jasper leapt out from the bush into the small clearing, his teeth bared as his coal-like eyes screamed death.

I joined him, mirroring his stance all while silently asking for his forgiveness of my stupidity.

Hopeless, we stared into the several sets of jaws that glistened beneath the rays of sun, fighting to break through the tangled tree limbs.

And we waited.

Growls and hisses. Claws digging and fangs bared. Limbs snapped and feet shaking the ground. And they surrounded us – five wolves against two vampires.

_What are you doing here?_

I turned my attention to one of the wolves, his hair resembling that of charred wood. The golden brilliance of his eyes glistened with hatred.

_You've broken the treaty._

My gaze darted to another wolf as he ran over to join the circle. His russet fur feathered over his aureate eyes. _Hello, leech_.

I stiffened, fists clenched. "Jacob Black," I seethed. "Tell me, how does it feel to be nothing more than a mutt?"

Jaws snapping, he reached out towards me, his snout issuing foul, hot air against my thigh. I hissed, darting back.

_Edward._ My back smacked against Jasper's as we pushed ourselves further from the beasts that ensnared us. For the first time in my entire existence, I was startled by Jasper's thoughts – not because of my name slicing the tension in the air, nor the way he lunged out, nearly cracking a wolf's leg in two, but it was the _sound_ of my name. It was an emotion I was not accustomed to when it came to him.

The sound of _fear_.

There was a distinct bereft tone that one held when afraid. Your voice shakes, every miniscule nerve elicits a thousand shocks that deaden your skin until you feel nothing, your eyes focus in on the object that quickens the liquid that runs through your veins. And as I stood there, crouched to the ground, teeth bared and ready to fight, I realized in that moment that I may never have those feelings ever again.

Thick, raw, unadulterated fear.

It was there, its blistering flames licking at the particles that made up the atmosphere surrounding us.

Six wolves. Six minds that imagined fangs ripping into the pale, icy casing of our bodies. Twelve golden eyes that stared right through me, as if they held the power to sear my flesh to ash.

My mind began to drift away. I was no longer surrounded by the thick woods and snarling wolves, but protected by four, cream-colored walls. Warmth and comfort enveloped me in a cocoon of peace. I closed my eyes and there she was.

"_How could you love a human like me?" she whispered. My fingers danced over the smooth, rosy skin of her cheek._ It was as if she were actually there beside of me. Her scent was everywhere, spreading through to my unbeating heart like wildfire, igniting a flame from deep within me. I could taste it.

Laughter bubbled up my throat. If I were going to die, I'd rather live in this memory for the last of my existence than allow the fear to encompass me whole, just waiting to be taken from this ever-growing world. I needed to focus on Bella, to remember the way she was… to drink her sight in, memorize the way she felt in my arms…

"_Silly Bella," I whispered, leaning in close so that the tips of our noses touched._ Oh if only this were real… _"I will always love you." _

Branches snapped as the sound of leaves fighting against one another echoed through my mind. It tore away at the blissful memory and I frowned, wanting it to come back.

But there was something that still lingered there… the scent of freesias…

I opened my eyes. The scattered underbrush beyond our entrapment moved relentlessly as if a strong wind were jolting their fragile branches to and fro. Jasper's gaze followed the moving enigma as well, captivated, as if he could see something that I could not, but when I tried to enter his mind... there was nothing. The rustling stopped just before a large ebony wolf, the one I knew to be Sam Uley.

The rest of the wolves turned, following our line of sight. Vibrant emerald leaves swayed gracefully before the legs of the onyx beast. I watched their dance, focusing in on one single leaf – the dark veins branched out to the very tip, absorbing the scant rays of sun to feed its habitat.

And that's when I saw it… that deep, rich strand of chocolate hair fluttering in the wind, twisting and curling around the verdant, waxy appendage. I followed its dark wisps, rippling in the wind, up to a bouquet of tumbling brown waves.

Pain. Elation. Sorrow. Guilt. Happiness. Want. Unfathomable, all-consuming love.

My eyes were open and yet there she was – crouched down before Sam. Was I seeing things? Was she merely another mirage?

And then she spoke, in volumes far greater than the illusion that haunted me during the night. Her sweet cadence of a voice tumbled from her soft lips. I nearly fell to my knees to hear the heavenly chords that sung to my frozen heart.

My lips moved, pushing together to make one single sound… "B – "

Black. Everything that once filled my world with brilliancy was now gone. I could feel myself stumble backwards as two large hands gripped my arms. Lost in a world of nothing, I followed the source that drug me through time and space, for I was adrift, fighting my way through the smoke that clouded my mind.

I was nothing. I was weak. Defenseless. Damaged and broken. Of that I was certain, but why my heart felt as if it had shattered into a million tiny pieces, slicing their way through my chest, I hadn't a clue.

Voices flitted through the air – familiar, yet hard to place. Slowly, the fog cleared and there was green and yellow. Bright light pierced through the canopy of trees overhead.

"Edward!"

I knew that voice.

An elfin face with tawny eyes stared down at me, her pixie night hair sticking out in various directions. "Can you hear me? Edward? What happened to him?"

_This isn't good. Why is he just staring at her like that? _

That voice was familiar too though it rang loudly in my head. I winced.

"Emmett," another voice growled. Things became less transparent as I was able to put a face with a name. Jasper still held me upright, staring daggers into Emmett's oblivious expression. "Edward's anxiety is enough for all of us, I don't need to deal with yours in such close proximity either."

A mumbled "sorry" issued through the air, so quiet that I almost missed it.

Alice turned to him, motioning for him to come over. "Help him," she pleaded. Of the many faces I had seen on my burly brother, too many that I didn't want to think about, one of true worry was not a common expression of his. Emmett raced over to my other side and together, the four of us traipsed through the woods.

"Hang on, big bro," he murmured, gripping my arm tightly. "We're almost home."

~*~*~*~

**Bella's POV**:

"_You deserve better."_

_Eyes opened. The slow ministrations of his fingertips danced across my bare arm. I stared down at my hand that was splayed across the expanse of his chest._

"_You could do better than me," he whispered._

_I snorted. As__ if the idea was even feasible. "Edward, we've had this discussion before. And every time it always ends the same way." Awkwardly, I tilted my head up so that my gaze met the surface of white skin beneath his chin. "I tell you how much I love you and you eventually do your little depressive sigh and tell me to go to sleep."_

_Even though it was hard to see his face from my angle of sight, I knew the deep creases etched their way through his forehead. "Bella," he sighed. "You know what I say is true."_

"_What would you rather have me do?" I asked, immediately shaking off his hand to sit up. I stared down at him hard, though my pathetic scowl hardly had any affect on him whatsoever. "Would you rather have me be with Mike? Or Tyler? Maybe Jacob?"_

_At that his body stiffened beneath me. His jaw clenched and I waited for him to finally relax. After a few moments, Edward blinked, a signal of the calm that slowly drifted over him._

"_They'd be better than me, Bella. I can't give you a family. I can't give you the life that you deserve."_

_He looked down, his eyes full of pain as his arm lay limp beside of my waist. The purple comforter was a stark contrast against his pallid skin. Every night we had this argument and every night he would hush my urgent words of love only to hum me into a fitful sleep. _

_Tonight was no different._

_The moon cast an ethereal glow over the room, spilling its soothing light over the hardwood floor. Though it did little to comfort me. _

_Edward lay so still, so unmoving, beside of me that had he been human, I would have surely thought he were dead. A sheen of glass coated his gaze, glossing over the hidden emotions deep within his soul until he was frozen solid, lost in his own thoughts. _

"_Edward," I murmured, lightly touching his arm. I hated this part of the night – always fighting to try to make him _see._ And every time he would smile and pat my hand like I was merely a child, too small and too fragile to understand the happenings of real life. "Look at me."_

_Slowly, his tawny eyes slid over in my direction. The bronze waves of his hair feathered out against my pillow, vibrant in their fiery color. Sometimes it physically hurt to look at him, to see how truly beautiful he was. "I don't want any of those things… I don't need to have children or any of that."_

"_Bella," he scoffed, rolling his head back until his gaze met the ceiling. _

"_What? You don't think I can decide what I want for myself?" My voice was biting as the blood rushed to my cheeks. "Do you think I'm so incapable of knowing what is best for me?"_

_Edward sat up instantly, almost knocking me backwards; his body rigid and tense. But his eyes… they were soft, distressed. "In a few years, you'll want a family, Bella. Every day it plays out in my mind. We could be walking down the street, hand in hand, and pass by a couple not much older than you, pushing a stroller. The woman will be murmuring softly to her child while her husband wraps his arm around her shoulder. And when they pass us, you'll look at them and wish you were that woman. You'll wish you were the one whispering words of love to the small infant before you. You'll wish to be wrapped in the arms of someone who could provide all of that to you and more. And I won't stop you from feeling that way."_

_Not once did his tortured eyes leave mine._

"_You may not see it, Bella, but I do. One day, you'll want to be with someone who is not me."_

_I stared at him in disbelief. My mouth moved but no words were spoken. How could he think that I didn't want to be with him? That I would give up everything that we had just so… what? _

"_You're absolutely ridiculous," I gaped. "How in the world could you think that of me?"_

_He shook his head, a sardonic grin residing on his mesmeric face. "You think I'm ridiculous, but you're the one in love with a vampire. How could I make your life better?"_

_Tears stung my eyes as his words sliced through my heart. It felt as if my entire world was shattering around me, littering the bed with its broken parts. Edward, regretful of what he had said, instantly reached out for me. _

"_Bella… Bella, I didn't – "_

"_Listen to me," I breathed, tasting the salty tears that streamed down my cheeks. "I don't want any of that." My trembling hands reached up to touch the cold skin of his face. Yet it wasn't enough. I pulled myself to him, lifting my leg over his so that I was straddling his lap. "I don't need children, Edward. I don't need to be with anyone else. When I think about the future, all I see is you."_

_Sniffling, I leant my head down until our foreheads touched. Cold against hot. His fingers pressed into the cotton of my pajama pants, pulling me flush against his chest. "Bella," he muttered quietly, his voice broken – defeated._

_My breath came out in shuddered pants, washing over his face as my fingers tangled in the soft strands of his hair. It was only moments ago that we were lying in my bed, enjoying the silence and each other's company. And now he had painted a different life for me – one without him in it. _

_Swallowing thickly, I brushed the tip of my nose against his, moving my mouth ever so slightly so that it hovered over his parted lips. "I don't want better."_

_His grip tightened on my waist, his beautiful face contorting in pained sorrow._

"_I want _you_."_

"Marie."

His beautiful voice spoke to me in my mind, yet it wasn't the name I wanted to hear.

"Marie, wake up."

I frowned, wanting to stay in the blissful dreamlike state of my memories.

A soft nudge to my arm, rocking my body back and forth, further alerted my senses. And I opened my eyes.

Gold.

It was all I could see as his gaze penetrated through my soul. He was beautiful. Angelic. Smooth lines and defining contours. So close and yet so far away.

"Class is about to start," he murmured, brow furrowed.

I sat up; now more awake as Mike turned around in his seat flicking his gaze from Edward to myself. When his eyes finally landed on me, he smiled.

I yawned.

Mike's smile faded and he turned back around, like a puppy being scolded, tail between his legs and all. Edward did his best to stifle a grin.

"Thanks for waking me," I muttered, pulling my notebook closer. Mr. Banner began shuffling through a stack of papers as he turned his computer on. I watched him for a few lazy moments until my attention slid over to the person beside of me. Edward frowned, his eyes intense as he watched me closely. I began to squirm beneath his piercing gaze.

"What is it?"

Eyebrows drawn tightly together, he turned more fully towards me. "You have a bruise," he whispered quietly. Slowly, his hand reached up to touch my face.

Time fell away.

"Right here." Cool, fingertips lightly brushed over the stained skin across my cheekbone. My heart stuttered within its boney cage. Oxygen failed to fill my lungs as I stared back him, mesmerized by the feel of his skin against mine. But every time I looked at him, all I could think of were the wide, unbelieving eyes that took in my form earlier this morning. And when he touched me like this, it hurt – physically ached deep within my core. I wanted to touch him, to have him hold me in his arms like before, yet I couldn't. The fact that I kept leading him on, dangling bits and pieces of myself before his very eyes was absurd, cruel. It made me sick.

But I didn't want him to stop.

I sighed, letting my eyes flutter close.

"Rough night?" His breath washed over my lips, soothing the chapped skin. I gasped ever so slightly.

When I opened my eyes, he was closer, his own gaze fixated on my mouth. I swallowed hard. "Yes. I fell. Really clumsy."

He nodded, his fingers still tracing little circles lightly over my heated flesh. "You should be more careful next time."

And then he pulled his hand away, turning to face the front board as if the stolen moment had never occurred.

I sat there, dazed, my breathing erratic. From behind me, Lauren scoffed from her seat, clearly agitated that once again she did not steal Edward Cullen's affections.

_Whore._

My gaze shot up to hers. She immediately tensed, her hand frozen in midair from sweeping it through her fake, commercialized blonde hair. Though her startled expression was not directed towards me.

Edward angled his body towards her; his face – which I couldn't see – was no doubt furious.

Lauren quickly averted her gaze as the blood rushed to her cheeks. It was a glorious moment for me to witness and had it been in other circumstances, Edward and I would have joked about it later. But as it were, the muscles in his back were still rigid, even as he turned slowly away from her. And there was nothing that I could say later on to ease the tension.

So, I did the only thing I could think of and if Verrin had been here, she would have slapped me up the side of the head. But quite frankly, she wasn't here and I really couldn't care otherwise.

Carefully, I placed my hand on his forearm. The muscles beneath my palm tightened even more but as soon as my thumb gently stroked his cold skin, his body began to relax. We didn't say anything more and Edward didn't move away from my touch. Instead we stayed that way, me only breaking the contact when I had to take down notes. And even then, Edward pushed my paper aside and whispered to me that he would copy his notes for me. For some unfathomable reason, he let me be close to him like this.

It was strange.

It was wonderful.

And it was so unlike _him_.

Ever since I had pulled into the parking lot that morning and stumbled out of Verrin's Audi, I couldn't peel my eyes away from his nervous form as he too walked towards the front door, Alice leading him along. It was the first time that I had ever seen him so childlike… human. Even at lunch he stared at the table, his eyes wide and scared as if he feared the world would come to an end in that very moment. It was heartbreaking and I knew that I was the cause of that. He flinched whenever someone brushed too close to him in the hall or called out to a friend a bit too loudly. And every step he took, Alice was right beside of him. Her face was one of anxiety and fear.

For a while I had been worried too. Had Verrin gone overboard this time? I didn't know, but now seeing him the way he was made my fears dissipate for the time being.

Soon, the bell chimed overhead and people began gathering their things. Reluctantly, I let go of his arm and began to pack up my things as well. A soft breeze swept past my face and I turned to see Edward racing out the door.

~*~*~*~

Raindrops began to patter across the windshield as I drove down the main highway, bringing myself closer to La Push's borders. The sky overhead clapped in anger, clouds swirling and twirling in cumulous gray blankets. Viridian trees clashed into one another, piercing their neighbors with their wooden spears.

My fingers tightened around the steering wheel until I thought the bones would protrude right through the porcelain skin. I hated the rain. More importantly, I hated storms. And even more important still, Bella driving in the rain was never a good idea.

I exhaled deeply, allowing myself to take control and just relax – think about other things than the growling wind at my heel. Only once more did I see Edward before the school day was finally complete. The way he had behaved in class still astounded me. He was not one to open himself up to another person in such a way, especially someone new, someone he barely knew, and more startlingly… someone who, under all pretenses, was human. I may be immortal, but I still had a heartbeat. That counts as something… right?

Regardless of his behavior, it did worry me that the more he underwent our little mind games, the more the black void would consume him. I had never had my mind erased before, but I was the cause of that happening to him at least once. What bothered me was seeing him in such distress. I wondered if this was how Edward had seen me – fragile and weak. "And that's why he left me," I whispered. Finally, I was able to understand and fully accept the _true_ reason for his departure months and months ago. I kept telling everyone that I understood but it was really just a mantra that I repeated for my own sanity. Now everything made sense. "Bella, you idiot. How could you have believed him?" Though I knew the answer to that question. I was so consumed by what we had, that the idea of his existence absent from my life was too terrifying to imagine. My mind closed off to all reason when he uttered those fateful words. _"You're not good for me, Bella."_

I shuddered, feeling the tremble of my pain rumble through my entire core, as I turned to look out the window. A flash of bronze caught my attention in the woods. My heart spluttered within my chest as I turned back to the road only to look back in the direction of the phantom seconds later. It had been a person, of that was certain. A head full of fiery waves and skin the color of ash. He had stood just at the edge of the forest, watching me.

But something was off.

Further I drove, finding my foot press just a little harder on the gas. Again, my attention was directed away from the road and to the right. A figure stood several feet away, near the side of the road. For a moment there was no sound, no drumming of the raindrops as they smacked the windshield – only silence.

"Edward?"

A sly smile shaped his lips, the gray depths of his eyes glinting beneath the cascading rain, as I sped past him.

And then it came to me – a portrait that I had seen not so long ago back in the Rigas' mansion.

"Lukas…"

Eyes wide, I snapped my attention back to the road only to find him standing right in the path of the accelerating car. Screaming, I slammed on the breaks. The tires squealed and jolted back and forth, skidding across the wet pavement. I was thrown to the side, my hands still gripping the steering wheel as the Audi fishtailed its way off the side of the road. Gravel sprung up, pelting the sides of the car. Somehow, between my panic and urge to vomit violently, I found my mind kicking into gear. My hands turned the wheel with the car's wild rotation as I finally righted the situation before being flipped into the air.

Breath heaving and finding myself turned in the opposite direction, I finally let my hands fall to my lap with a heavy thud.

Blue and red flashing lights bounced off the hood of the Audi. A blaring siren finally hit my ears, howling into the evening air.

"Shit," I cursed, accidentally smacking my hand against the horn. It beeped loudly, only fueling my irritation as I silently wondered whether I should use my little mind trick on the officer. With my luck, I probably knew them. I silently berated myself on how I hadn't noticed the cruiser following behind me in the first place. Thankfully, I was still in my disguise.

I heard the vehicle pull off the side of the road and the resounding sound of the car door slamming shut.

Sighing, I closed my eyes and waited.

A loud tap rapped on the window near my head. "Ma'am, are you okay? Can you roll the window down?"

I blinked. My pulse quickened into a deafening beat. Slowly, I pressed the button that diminished the glass barrier between me and the man who now held a flashlight in my face. The sky had darkened considerably and with the rain, it was hard to make out anything… well if you were mortal that is.

He lowered his light as he took out a small flip pad. "Have you been drinking?"

I couldn't think. I couldn't do anything but stare into his small, chocolate eyes that squinted beneath the bushy brows. His mustache twitched disapprovingly as I gaped. "I'm going to need to see your license and registration."

Lips parted, opening and closing like that of a fish. I wanted to laugh. I wanted to jump out and wrap my arms around him and kiss his cheek and tell him how much I missed him.

Upon my lack of a response, Charlie motioned for me to come towards him. "I'm going to have to ask you to step out of the car, please."

Shaking my head to clear it of its muddled thoughts, I reached into the glove compartment and pulled out the necessary paperwork, of which was already altered for me in case this situation were to ever occur. Immediately, I jumped out into the freezing rain, handing him the necessary documents. "I… I'm sorry, sir. I just… you startled me."

Charlie looked at me skeptically as he took the papers from my hand. "What's your name?"

"Marie," I muttered, voice quivering.

He paused, his hand poised above the first page just waiting to be turned. Slowly, his saddened eyes met mine. Charlie never said anything but the emotion in his gaze spoke to me in volumes. I didn't want to know how he would react when news of my "death" reached his ears. My teeth clenched tightly around the moist skin of my cheek until it bled. Its coppery liquid made me grimace.

"Rigas," I choked out. "Marie Rigas. I'm new here."

"Hmm." He went back to perusing my forms after quickly averting his eyes from my sight. "That's right, you're staying with the Black family, correct? Some distant relative or some sort."

It was one of many discussions that Verrin had with me over pulling and braiding my hair. If anyone were to ask about where I was staying, I was to tell them that I was staying with the Black family in La Push and that I was a distant cousin. When I asked her if someone questioned my going to school in Forks, her reply was, _"Billy thought you'd be more comfortable there instead of going to school on the res." _ It didn't make any sense to me but she thought it was believable enough. _"Manipulative powers," she kept saying. "You can make anyone believe anything you want them to." _

"Yeah, that's it. I was just on my way back from school and I thought I saw an animal run out in front of the car. It scared me and I lost control. It probably doesn't help that I don't like driving in storms," I rambled, nervously laughing as I swept the soaked strands of my hair out of my face.

Charlie nodded as he handed me back my papers. "I'm just going to go scan your license and I'll be back."

I watched as he jogged through the rain only to hop inside the cruiser for a brief moment or two. Shivering and completely soaked, I felt a fresh wave of tears cloud my sight. He was a blurry watercolor as he ran back towards me.

"Here you are, Miss Rigas." I took the plastic card from his hand and tucked it away, wrapping my arms around myself. "I'm just going to give you a warning this time, but do be careful. It could have been a lot worse for you."

I nodded, giving him a tentative smile. "Right. Thank you."

"Tell Billy I said hello. And here…" He pulled out a brown, wool blanket that he had tucked up under his arm. "I don't know why you kids wander around out here without jackets on. It may be closer to summer but Forks has its fair share of strange weather. This will help keep you warm until you get back to the res."

"Thanks," I muttered, quickly grabbing the blanket and wrapping it around my shoulders. "I'll let Billy know that I saw you."

He nodded once more and turned around to jog back to the car. "Be safe out there."

"I'll try to be," I whispered, watching him switch the lights back on and drive off down the road, no doubt going back to the station.

Soaked in rainwater and salty tears, I climbed back into the Audi and drove away. The car jolted back and forth as I hit the dirt road that led to the Blacks' home. Jacob was already waiting for me on the porch.

The streetlamp bounced off the hood of the car brilliantly as I shut off the engine. And before I could climb out, he had already opened the door. "Hey, Bells. Listen… I just wanted to – "

"Save it, Jake," I murmured, clutching the blanket tightly as I climbed out. "I don't want to hear it."

He stared at the blanket curiously but I wasn't about to explain what had just happened, at least not now. The mud caked the bottoms of my shoes as I sloshed over to the front steps.

"Alright, maybe you don't want to hear it, Bella, but there is something you should know," he called out, slamming the car door shut.

I sighed heavily, stopping on the first step, my shoulders sagging in defeat. "Jacob, we can talk about this tomorrow, I – "

"Gabriel's here."

I snapped my gaze towards him, eyes wide. "What?"

"I thought you knew. Verrin said that she told you."

"She did but I didn't think he'd be here _this_ soon." Blinking furiously as my tears began to irritate my contacts, I tried to take them out with angry, agitated hands.

"Here, let me do it," he sighed, moving closer to me.

"Like hell I will," I spat. "I'm not letting you touch my eyes, Jake. End of story."

"Bella, I'm not going to hurt you, I promise."

"Really? You've already done that to me once today, I can't fathom why I'd think you'd do it to me again."

Hurt, Jacob glanced down, shoving his hands in the depths of his pockets. "I'm sorry, Bella," he muttered. "I only did what I was told."

"You did what you _wanted_ to do, Jacob Black. Not what you were _told_ to do."

I shook my head and turned away from him in my attempt at trying to remove the hideous plastic lens from my eyes.

"Bella, you and I may have differing opinions of the Cullens but I will agree with you on one thing."

I scoffed. "Oh really? And what exactly is that?"

After a moment of silence, Jacob finally answered me, his voice so hushed that I barely heard him. "I don't trust Gabriel anymore than you do and after what Verrin did to you today… Bella, I want to warn you before you step into that house."

"I don't need your protection, Jake. I can take care of myself." Furious, I threw the blanket onto the porch and stalked under the small roof for some protection from the rain. Again, I tried to pry out the contacts but my nerves proved to making a simple task quite difficult.

Eyes narrowed, Jacob stormed after me. He gripped my arm tightly, spinning me around. "Bella," he growled. "Look up."

"What?" I stammered, completely taken aback by his forwardness.

"Look. Up."

Nervously, I did as he told me to do and before I knew it, Jake had quickly and effortlessly removed my contacts.

"You can thank me later, Swan," he muttered, instantly disposing of the flimsy lens.

I stared after him in disbelief as he propped the front door open for me, waiting for me to make my entrance.

But there was something about the look in his eyes that ignited a fire deep within me. The entire morning raced through my mind. Jake's betrayal, Edward's fear, Verrin's defiance. I stared down at the sopping blanket which Charlie had given me merely moments ago. A stray tear slid down my face, warming my cold skin.

"Don't cry, Bella," Jacob sighed. "It'll only make things worse – "

A deafening crack echoed through the air, mingling with the thunder that rumbled angrily above us. Jake held his jaw firmly, his eyes wide as he stared down at me. My hand stung from the contact of flesh colliding with bone.

There were no words – only stares full of emotion that swirled around in the irises of brown and violet.

Sweeping past him, I stormed into the house, zipping through the kitchen and down a small hallway that led to the Blacks' living room. Not only were Gabriel and the rest of my new family awaiting me, but also the entire pack – all eyes full of disgrace.

Billy sat in his wheelchair off to the side, his hands folded in his lap. He couldn't even look at me.

"Do you think our heritage so unworthy of your soul?" Gabriel stepped away from a small fireplace that provided the only source of light in the room. The flames crackled angrily. "Not once have you tried to expose our existence, but twice!"

I flicked my gaze to Verrin who stood just behind Gabriel, her eyes apologetic as she watched me.

"Do you not respect us?" Gabriel continued as he paced around the room. "Do you not _trust_ us?"

Both Alex and Catherine had joined their master, acting as witnesses to the spectacle at work. But for once Alex did not seem to mirror Gabriel's words against me.

"Gabriel," he muttered. "She's been through enough and – " He was suddenly silenced by the glowing amethyst storm blazing in Gabriel's eyes. "Just because you met your match in this girl does not mean you can take her side on this, Alexander."

When his attention was turned back to me, he pulled out the pendant that portrayed our crest. The silver chain glistened in the light of the fire.

"You don't even wear this anymore," Gabriel murmured, his voice dangerously low. "Do you want to ruin our chances?" He stalked towards me, his ethereal eyes questioning. "Do you want to destroy _everything_?!" The bellow of his voice made me wince as he screamed inches from my face. "We have given you strength, life… and this is how you thank us?"

My gaze met his and though his thunderous rage shook the souls of every being in this room, it did not undo mine. "How can I trust you?" I challenged. "How can I believe anything you say when you haven't even told me all of the details of your plan, Gabriel?" My voice began to rise as I stepped towards him, causing him to lean back. "In fact, I'm willing to bet that the rest of our dear family doesn't even know the real reason for why we're going through all of this trouble. Am I right?" I snapped my gaze to the remaining four violet-eyed beings in the room. "Has he told you anything more than what he's told me? Why must we include the Cullens? Why must we include them?" I motioned to the wolf pack that stared at me in awe, their dark eyes growing confused as they mulled over my words.

When no one answered me, I stepped back from Gabriel, seething. "So I ask you again, how can I _trust_ you?"

With one quick motion, I snatched the necklace from his hand. "You see this?" I questioned, holding out the silver chain and displaying it to everyone in the room. Jacob stood in the corner, his eyes troubled as a black stain painted his jaw. "I want you _all_ to take a good look at this."

My words full of malice, my eyes meeting those of people who I had not betrayed but who had betrayed me, I slammed the necklace with its snake-like pendant into the blazing fire. The flames engulfed the silver, eating away at it as I ate away at their connection to me. Stalking towards Gabriel, my eyes pooling into two inky wells of midnight hostility, the words I issued next squeezed out through gritted teeth. "I will _not_ wear something that disgraces me in any way. Not until I believe that I can trust you, will I claim to have any connection with you whatsoever and even though I am your equal you do not show the courtesy to me that I deserve. I have done everything for you! Everything that you have ever asked of me!" I spat, my body trembling with rage. "But when it's all said and done, Gabriel… I protect myself and those who I love." I stopped in front of him, blinding hate clouding my sight. Slowly, I leaned in, my eyes never leaving his – amethyst and onyx crystals colliding violently. "And if you ever put any of them in danger," I breathed, my lips inches from his as he stared into the bottomless pit of my gaze. "I will _kill_ you."

In a flash I was gone, racing from the room, away from the small hallway and kitchen, away from the eyes that stared in bewilderment at my leave, away from the pain that elicited from Jacob's stance as I brushed past him. The rain smacked against my skin as I ran from the small house that I once thought as my second home.

I didn't think. One foot fell in front of the other as I entered the woods, feeling the twigs crunch beneath my weight. The wind swirled through my hair, the blonde tresses now chocolate waves. Blood pumped through my heart, creating a rhythm that set my pace as I raced through tangled vines and branches, sending a scattering flock of crows into the air. Lightening struck overhead, its veins branching out into illuminating lines of electric agony. It wasn't until I entered a clearing that I finally stopped, panting breath and quivering limbs.

I stood, my hands fisting in my hair in frustration. "I know you're out there," I cried.

A wave of calm washed over me and I turned to see Jasper step out from behind a tree, the tawny diamonds of his soul concerned as he moved towards me. But as strong as his powers were they did little to stop the dam from breaking free. Little by little, bit-by-bit, salty liquid fell from my eyes, dripping onto blades of verdant grass below. I bit down on my tongue, desperately willing my tears to dry.

Within seconds, two arms wrapped around me tightly and I gasped, feeling the strength of Jasper's hold as he clutched me to his chest.

"Let go, Bella," he whispered, the raindrops dripping off of his blonde curls. "Just let go."

Hands shaking, heart hammering, I clutched onto his shoulders and let the wave of overwhelming heartache consume me. The tremors that raked through my limbs, singeing my nerves, sent the both of us crashing to the ground.

And still he held me.

"It's okay," he murmured, smoothing the damp waves of my hair as I cried shamelessly into his shoulder. "You're going to be okay."

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**A/N #2:** Just FYI, I know Edward's POV of the hunt was a little sporadic once the wolves came around. You will be getting more info on that through Jasper in the next update. So, don't get too confused on that yet. ;)

Reviews are better than Depressedward. :)


	17. Ch 14: Untold Secrets

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing in this story except for my own little plot line and any characters you may not recognize. Everything else is property of the genius Stephenie Meyer.

**A/N: **It took me a lot longer than I expected to finish this. I'm so sorry for the long wait! But thank you all for being patient with me; I really do appreciate that. Also, a big thanks to my beta **twi-ction**! She's freakin' awesome and I luv her!

Before you start reading, I'm just going to answer a few questions some of you had:

1) **Did Bella see Lukas because he wanted her to see her dad? And will he be coming back in the story?** My answer to this is read the following update. ;)

2) **When are the Cullens going to find out about Bella?** Well, seeing as how my true answer for this would ruin the entire story for you... I'm just going to have you keep reading to find out. Muahaha...

3) **Where was Damian in the last update when Bella was arguing with Gabriel?** He was there, generally speaking. I just didn't mention him so much. But trust me, you'll be getting your fill of Damian soon. (And yes... I picture him as Ben Barnes for those of you who've been asking). ;)

4) **This isn't really a question but more of an observation - Some of you found it strange how Edward let Bella touch him in class in the last update. **That my friends will be explained in this update.

5) **Finally, my favorite question: Did Gabriel kill Lukas? **Kudos to the person who thought of this one. It only proves that you guys are thinking further ahead in the story and that's awesome! I'm reluctant to answer this but that does not mean that this assumption is correct. So... I'll say this - _someone_ did kill Lukas. Who did it? Well, it's one of the many mysteries of this story that you all will have to figure out ;)

Again, if you all have questions, feel free to ask and I will post answers to them in the author's note for the next update! And even if they're not clear-cut answers, it'll give you guys something to think about.

Thank you again for your awesome reviews and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

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**Edward's POV:**

"_Bella, when will you get it through your head that I am dangerous!" Though the words were meant as a warning, I felt powerless before the human sitting so calmly in front of me. She leaned back against my couch, her arms crossed, a pointed look on her beautiful face._

_Frustrated, hands fisting into my hair, I paced the length of my room. Her eyes followed me closely and when I turned to her she had her chin resting on her palm, like this was all so horridly boring._

"_Stop acting like this isn't a big deal," I whispered, stopping just at her feet, the black and white canvas shoes a stark contrast to the beige-colored carpet. "I don't know what I would do to myself if I ever hurt you."_

_She sighed, outstretching a small hand to me. "Edward, sit with me."_

_Reluctantly, I sat down, though my body did not relax, as I'm sure she hoped it would._

"_You won't hurt me," she murmured, her tiny, warm hands wrapping around my upper arm._

_I shook my head, unwilling to believe her. I knew what I was – a monster._

"_Edward," she whispered, scooting closer to me. "Do you really want me to go? I will if that's what you think is best." Even as she said it, her voice shook with unshed tears. Her hand moved down to my forearm, the pads of her fingers warm and smooth against my frozen flesh. I frowned, losing my resolve at each sweet syllable that spilled from her lips. Her thumb began to draw lazy circles over my skin, wiping the tension away._

_I shut my eyes and reached for her, pulling her into my lap, our foreheads bent low, touching. "No," I breathed. "I never want you to leave me."_

The memory faded away before my eyes as I sat at my desk, watching the shadows move across the room.

Today had been… odd, to say the least. I couldn't remember half of what had happened this morning. Having already felt these effects before, I knew that my mind had been tampered with, but how? It didn't make any sense. What was worse was that I had Alice dragging me everywhere around school. She wouldn't even let me drive. Not that I could blame her exactly. I felt on edge, like I was waiting for someone to strike at me again. The whole day I was tense, constantly listening in on every mind I came across, searching… for what, I didn't know, but for some answer as to what had happened to me.

And then I saw her – Marie – sleeping in Anatomy class, her head resting atop her folded hands on the desk. A strand of honey blonde hair fell over her cheek, its feathered tip billowing out into the air with each small snore she made. She seemed so… peaceful. It was difficult for me to startle such serenity, but with Mr. Banner starting class, I had no choice. Though she seemed pleased by my waking her, I never did tell her the real reason for it. True, our teacher would have embarrassed her in front of the class and I wasn't particularly fond of that idea happening, but she was talking in her sleep – mumbling something incoherent until the word finally became clear to me.

"_Edward."_

A soothing presence enveloped me then, holding on to my withered soul tightly. I needn't look to see who was nearby.

_Oh, to know what goes on in that head of yours._

I turned my attention to the doorway where Esme stood, her arms folded across her chest. A sweet smile played at the corners of her lips as she walked into the room. "How are you, dear?" She sat down on the sofa, moving a few journals out of the way. "I know it's been a rough day today."

The soft lines of her face were drawn with worry as she watched me sigh in frustration, pinching the bridge of my nose.

"I don't know," I told her honestly. "I don't know much about anything anymore, Esme. I feel like… I'm losing control over everything."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Her musical voice was soft and sweet, full of summer spice and the comfort of warmth – a sharp contrast to the cold body that encompassed her maternal spirit.

I leant back against my chair, my gaze fixed on the plush, cream strands of the carpet. "What is there to talk about?"

Esme followed my gaze, her stare transfixed as well. "Why don't we start with Marie?"

The topic startled me, causing my eyes to shift over to her quickly.

"Well, I know you've been thinking about her," she explained. "She's been in everyone's thoughts, today especially."

True, my family was concerned that Marie had something to do with my mind being erased for the second time but it was near impossible for that to be. Jasper was the only one who kept his thoughts quiet.

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat – a habit that had been steadily growing. Though there were no humans around to pretend for, I had grown accustomed to Bella's presence, even though that was a thing of the past. Every moment that I thought of her, I fidgeted, growing more and more away from the vampire that I was and into the human I wished to be… for _her_.

"When you look at me, what do you see?"

Esme studied me with curious, bright eyes, a small frown framing her thin lips. She thought for several moments, focused. _I see someone who is constantly troubled by the thoughts of others and craves for the silent mind of the one who claims his heart. I see someone who closes everyone else off so that he can fight his battles on his own, whether that is a good decision or not._

She paused; her eyes still fixed on the floor below, her body a perfect statue – one that Michelangelo could not have carved any more beautifully out of stone.

_You seem so lost to me._ Her thoughts were quiet, frightened almost.

"Edward." Slowly, she reached out a hand to cover my arm.

"When I was upset," I said, turning towards her, though I kept my gaze cast down. "Bella would place her hand on my arm and rub away the tension… right here…" I breathed, moving Esme's hand to the spot on my forearm, which had been haunted by my love's touch. A tearless sob bubbled its way up my throat but I kept it from breaking free.

"I let Marie touch me like that today," I admitted softly, hoping that Esme wouldn't hear.

On the contrary, she lifted her hand from me, her eyes wide with shock. "Edward… what were you thinking?" Her voice was far from scolding, but it pained me to hear her say such things. "Regardless of your feelings for this girl differing from everyone else's, that is a completely irrational thing to do."

"She said my name."

Brow furrowed in concerned lines, she sat still, letting her hands rest gently in her lap.

"When I went into class today, I found her sleeping at our desk," I said, remembering the calming peace that consumed me then. "I was going to wake her before class started, but before I could, she… she whispered my name."

Looking up at Esme then, I felt my mind slowly unravel – string by string, piece by piece, the cortex withering away into dust. "She reminds me so much of Bella that I can't stand it. Yet, I can't stay away from her either, Esme."

Nervous twitches crawled through my hands as my fingers raked spikes and waves through my hair. "I don't know what to do," I whispered. "Tell me what to do." Eyes pleading, I turned to her. "Please."

I was teetering on the brink of hysteria and the only thing keeping me balance was a fine thread that unraveled quickly, threatening to snap.

"Edward," Esme murmured, instantly kneeling before me, her voice trembling as she stared up at me with wide, concerned golden eyes. "Love, what do you want me to do? You know we'll all help you through this."

Fingers threading into the strands of my hair, I tugged anxiously. "I don't know what to do," I rasped out, immediately standing up. Legs moved, feet carrying me across the room, back and forth in dizzying paces until I could stand it no more. A glass vase, bright Bella blue, sat on one my shelves, placed there by my love so very long ago. It felt smooth and fragile in my hands before I threw it across the room, relishing in the way the glass crippled into thousands of glittering shards.

Esme gasped behind me but I was too far-gone in my insanity to acknowledge it. How very troubled I was.

Spinning around, I headed towards the door but something – or some_one_ – ran into me. A tiny "oomph" escaped my lips as small arms wrapped around my waist. I stood still – jaw set, eyes narrow – as the obstacle squeezed me tighter.

"You were going to go after the piano next," Alice explained, locking her wrists together so that I was trapped into her startlingly strong vice. "I couldn't let you do that."

Broken keys and splintered wood entered my mind. My face softened and upon seeing Esme's frightened, yet worried stare, I could only feel my heart crumble further.

She gave me a tentative smile; one that I did not deserve while my sister continued to hug me until what I was sure would be the death of me.

Ashamed, I glanced down from the woman I thought of as a mother while an inaudible "I'm sorry" spilled from my lips.

~*~*~*~

**Bella's POV:**

Ashen, feathery paint streaks sailed slowly in the midnight sky, kissing each glistening diamond embedded in its ebony blanket. The breeze was cool, carrying whispers through the ink stained tree limbs that reached out to fill the atmosphere. It blew across my face, haunting my body with chills that did not cease. An arm, wrapped around my waist, squeezed me tighter than before. Blackness veiled my sight as I closed my eyes, drowning out the vast rolling forest that stretched out below the rocky, hard cliff that served as a seat for two.

"How are you?" a soft, lilting voice asked.

Small lazy sighs escaped my parted lips, floating out to join the currents of the night air.

"I've been better."

Jasper leant his head on mine, his body relaxed as he held me to his side. "What can I do to make things better for you, Bella?"

The wind stirred the leaves that swayed high overhead, creating such a beautiful symphony of peace.

"Can you make it go away, Jasper?" I whispered, my eyes now open, staring out into the onyx shadows that drifted over the sleeping land. "Can you just make it all go away?"

"Oh, Bella," he breathed, kissing the top of my head. "If I could, I'd have done that a long time ago."

Helpless, the emotion consumed me entirely as my face was drawn in lines of despair.

"Shh…" he murmured, releasing calming waves that crashed over me. "Enough of that now."

"I don't know what to do." My voice felt so small, tight. "They've all singled me out and now I'm stuck as this… _thing_ and I don't know how to go about with the rest of my life."

A moth fluttered past us, flying faster as it moved around the vampire to my right. Its tiny heart beat sporadically as its luminescent body flew away.

"Should I just ignore all of this?" I asked him. "Leave the Treviarons and go on my own? I could show myself to your family I guess…" Though that thought alone made my insides squirm. "Maybe I'll be a rogue," I finally decided.

Jasper released a soft chuckle, its rhythmic tremors shaking my head. I sat up and looked at him seriously. "What?"

"I'm sorry," he teased, a hint of the laughter still shining in his eyes. "Forgive me for saying this, but it's hard to picture someone who trips over her own feet as a rogue."

Frowning, I crossed my arms, turning away from him. "That was when I was human."

From the corner of my eye, I saw him smirk. "Klutz."

Shocked, I lightly smacked the side of his arm, as a small smile broke free across my lips. "Jasper Hale," I scolded playfully. "I'm not used to you trying to crack a joke."

"Oh, I'm full of jokes," he told me. "Alice loves me for my humor. You knew that right?"

I laughed, leaning back into him and his arm found its previous position around my waist. "How is Alice?"

He sighed, resting his cheek against my tangled hair. "She's fine. She misses you though."

"I miss her too," I murmured, playing with a stray thread at the bottom of my shirt. It was comforting to have this connection with him, even if it was still a new feeling for me. Jasper and I had grown surprisingly close in such a short time but I couldn't be more grateful for the connection. He was the anchor that held me sane throughout the chaotic waves of my mind. "What about everyone else?"

"All just as fine. Emmett still tries to prank us every now and then. I think it's his way of keeping things light."

I nodded, glancing up into the starry sky. "What about…" I struggled to say his name and began picking at the hem of my shirt even more.

Jasper, sensing my unease, quickly stepped in. "Edward isn't doing as well as the rest of us. Though, I'm sure you already knew that."

Gentian sadness clouded my gaze as I let the soft lull of the waves miles away slow the pace of my heart.

"This morning," Jasper began. "He smelled you. Your scent was so strong to him, Bella, that he went _mad_ with it. And even after, when the wolves came to us, he kept seeing you. Not really seeing you," he clarified. "But when you moved, he saw your surroundings move. Of course I knew exactly where you were headed when I felt the animosity radiating off of Sam but I hadn't realized that you had released your power until I felt a jumble of emotions coming right from Edward. They nearly knocked me over with their power. And then when Verrin came into the picture…"

I froze, not wanting to remember that moment. "I know you don't trust her, Bella. And what she did to Edward is certainly unforgivable even though it was vital, but she does care about you."

I scoffed, leaning away from his shoulder. "She cares for nothing but herself."

"You're wrong about that," Jasper cut in, his voice hard yet soft around the edges. "With every act that she committed this morning, she felt guilt. It was overpowering."

I turned to him, stunned. "How do you do it?"

Furrowing his brow, he stared back at me – confused. "What do you mean?"

"How do you feel all of those emotions at once and not just… lose it or something? I could never do that."

"Many years of practice," he muttered forlornly, his gaze drifting away from mine.

His body suddenly went rigid beside of me. The golden flecks in his irises seemed to glow brightly in the dark. "Someone's coming."

Instantly turning away from him, I scanned the darkness. "How do you kn – " My words broke off as small tingles radiated down my arms, pricking and sparking beneath my skin.

"I'd say good evening," called a voice. "But seeing as how the sun will be rising in a few hours, good morning seems the more practical choice."

Gabriel withdrew from the shadows, his hands clasped loosely behind his back.

Jasper and I jumped to our feet instantly. Even though I was more powerful than him, the blonde vampire stepped protectively in front of me, his gaze warily raking over the dark figure before us.

Gabriel's violet eyes glistened in the shadows. "Jasper," he acknowledged.

Jasper, knowing enough of what I had told him, knew exactly who this was. "Gabriel."

"I must say," Gabriel said, taking a few steps towards him. "After taking some time to think on the matter, I'm quite pleased with Bella's decision to include you in on our plans."

Anger seethed through my veins as I grabbed Jasper's arm, pulling him behind me. "If you so much as even _think _about doing anything – "

"I just complimented your decision, Bella. Why would you think I'd do something to Jasper?"

"How dare you," I hissed. "You expect me to believe you after what you did to me? Alienate me from the rest of the group?"

"Bella," Jasper warned quietly but I chose to ignore him.

"You have no right to come after me, Gabriel."

"Bella, he's telling the truth."

I turned to Jasper then. He glanced down, his voice soft as he murmured, "I can feel it."

Slowly, I returned my gaze to the man who had once called me his equal. He grinned. "Sorry to disappoint."

"What do you want." It wasn't a question but more or less a command on my part. Why he was here and suddenly so amiable towards me, I had no idea. And that frightened me.

"I want you to come back to La Push with me, Bella," Gabriel told me. "I realize that there were things said that should not have been and I feel the need to explain my previous actions. There is no apologizing on your part," he continued, raising a hand as if to wash away any sort of obligation I may or may not have had. "Just let me talk. That's all I want."

Several moments of silence floated in the space between us. I stared at Gabriel, trying to read him and yet couldn't. Though I wasn't apt on going back with him, I was interested in hearing his explanation.

"Go with him," Jasper murmured quietly from behind me.

I spun around, eyes suddenly pleading. "What? No… I – I wasn't finished talking with you." Though both of us knew it was more than just the conversation that I craved. His comfort was something that I had clung to as of late. What happened if I went with Gabriel to find that I could never return to Jasper or any of the Cullens? What if I never saw Edward ever again? Panic coursed through my muscles making them constrict tightly. "Jasper…" I rasped, voice shaking.

"We'll see each other soon," he promised, a small grin curling the corners of his lips. "I'll make sure of it." He gave one last icy glare to the man behind me as he wrapped his arms around my waist, hugging me close. "Take care, Bella."

And then he was gone.

Breathing in shakily, I drew strength from the cool breeze that ghosted his exit. The crescendo of the crickets' lullaby rose to meet the cicadas' percussion, as they sat high in the limbs of the trees – the sibilation of their chant deafening to my ears, leaving me feel more alone than I had ever felt.

Spinning around quickly, I met Gabriel's amaranthine stare.

He held out his hand, palm kissing the night air as he murmured, "Walk with me."

I didn't take his hand but I did step towards him, my eyes never leaving his. He lowered his arm and clasped his other wrist behind his back casually, much like he had done upon his arrival. "I know you don't trust me," he stated, his voice thick with the sound of foreign worlds that my eyes had yet to behold.

Scoffing quietly, I shook my head but continued walking with him through the alien terrain. Mossy tendrils feathered gently past my shoulder as I waited for him to continue.

The midnight arches that decorated his brow drew together tightly as if he had grown very troubled within the last few minutes. "I trusted Lukas with my life," he finally admitted. "The fact that you do not feel the same about me troubles me deeply."

I opened my mouth to respond but he was quick to silence my words with the pleading of an upheld finger. "It is my fault for not being more open with you as I should have. Sometimes I forget just how much you still do not understand."

His words unsettled me, curving my lips downward into a frown.

"Maybe it was to protect you… maybe…" His voice drifted off, the slightest hint of anxiety tingeing the chords that created the sound. "How much do you know about the Volturi, Bella?"

I stopped, letting my eyes slowly drift towards his. "Not much – only what you and Edward have told me." That wasn't entirely true. Victoria had told me more about them during our last encounter but I was reluctant to let Gabriel know of such a meeting.

He nodded solemnly and motioned for me to sit down on a fallen tree only a few feet away. I did as he asked, more out of curiosity than anything.

For a few moments, Gabriel paced across the overgrown earth, his mind working. "The Volturi are a very old, very powerful order of vampires – as you know. However, they were not the first."

I looked up in surprise then, my eyes wide. "What do you mean?"

"There was a coven in Romania that lasted for centuries. When Aro founded the Volturi coven, he went after the Romanian clan for mere control and power. They decimated the other vampires, leaving only two who survive today – Vladimir and Stefan. Now the Volturi are the largest coven of vampires who exist, second to them would be the Cullen family."

"As you know," he continued, his booted feet barely making a sound over the thick foliage that snaked its way through the forest floor. "Aro is flanked by his two brothers, Marcus and Caius. They are the rulers of the Volturi and very powerful, though everyone answers to Aro. They have a guard that is designated to protect the Volturi members and each of those vampires is equally as deadly with their gifts. Demetri, the one you saw in your nightmare, is their tracker. He's one of the most lethal members of the group. Next to him there are two childlike vampires, Jane and Alec. Aro favors them the most."

I cringed at the memory of Jane haunting my sleep. Her bloodthirsty eyes sent my stomach twisting into knots.

"Jane has the power to make others believe that they are in pain, while Alec can cut off the senses, making it quite easy for the Volturi to win a fight. Almost every single one of the Volturi's members is gifted with some extraordinary power. Before you go to Volterra, Bella, I'll give you a list of its most influential members and their gifts so that you are prepared."

I wanted to interrupt him and question why he thought I would still do what he asked of me, but Gabriel merely held his hand up, pleading. "Please, allow me to finish."

My eyes hardened, my fingers dug into the rough bark of the tree, but I sat quietly… waiting.

"The reason I have not been as honest with you as I should have is because I am afraid. I am afraid of what will happen to you and if the same thing that happened to Lukas will match your fate."

A sudden flash of the ghostly figure, his gray eyes cold, entered my mind. I shivered.

Gabriel abandoned the anxious pace, at which his feet had made, to come sit by me. The log shifted slightly under his weight. "I told you once that Lukas died but I didn't tell you how."

I watched him, my eyes traveling down the crooked slopes of his nose as he stared off into the vastness of shadows before us. Trusting him was not an option anymore, but I did believe in what Jasper had said. Gabriel was telling the truth.

"Our numbers were diminishing greatly," he explained, remembering back to the night that they had last fought against the Volturi. "We were powerless under the eclipse… weak. I remember Lukas standing in the middle of the battlefield, blood staining his shoes, soiling the ground. He was chanting." Gabriel's voice was barely above a whisper and still I was captivated by his words, imagining the scene playing out before me. Lukas' arms outstretched, his eyes close, chin tilted toward the sky as his lips moved over ancient words of prayer. "He was calling out to Hekate, begging for a sign or way to help us," he sighed. "But she never did."

"What was this chant?" I questioned, watching as Gabriel held his head in his hands, defeated.

"It was a very old prayer. What was actually said, I have no idea. It was something only meant for the leader to know and use. But after Lukas died, I had no way of knowing where he kept the manuscript that held the prayer. It's been lost since then. The legend said that in our most dire need of help, Hekate would supply us with her power so that we could achieve victory. The leader was to recite the prayer three times. Lukas only got to the second time before he was killed."

Recognition dawned on me then. I felt my eyes widen, my heart flutter rapidly beneath my chest. "He's calling out to me…" I muttered.

Gabriel turned then, his eyes curious. "What?"

"I saw him today," I said, my voice robotic as my mind wandered off to the rain that hammered its watery tears into the road. "Lukas, I mean. When I was driving back to La Push, I saw him."

The violet flecks in Gabriel's eyes glittered in wonder. "You saw him?" he breathed.

I nodded, turning towards him. "Yes. He was in the woods when I drove by and then he appeared before me. It startled me so much that I nearly flipped Verrin's car."

"Well that certainly changes things," he whispered, his eyes thoughtful as he turned away.

"What do you mean?"

"The manuscript," he said. "I don't even know what it looks like. I scoured our own archives in Greece for it but found nothing. Lukas, however, was not one who would hide such a treasure in headquarters. No… no, he would hide it elsewhere," Gabriel reasoned, nodding his head vigorously. "Somewhere where no one could find it, not even the rest of the members until it was time for the new leader to take over."

I leaned closer to him, my grip tight around the splintered bark. "Where do you think it is?"

Gabriel shook his head. "I don't know, but if what you're telling me is true, he may be trying to lead you to it."

"Bella," he said quite suddenly, his voice on edge. "There's something you need to know about Lukas' death."

~*~*~*~

The walk back to the Blacks' home was short, accompanied by cool, salty-fresh air and the sound of watery chimes in the distance. Blood red paint stained the sky, calling out a warning to the seafarers of world and washing over my skin with its tainted glow.

My eyes drifted towards the horizon. Tips of chocolate hair tickled my face in the slight breeze created by Gabriel as he passed me. Catherine was waiting inside for him, anxious for his return.

I kept staring out into the distance, knowing who was walking towards me and yet hardly daring myself to look.

"Tell me what you're thinking," a deep voice whispered near my ear.

My arms hugged my chest, wrapped around my petite frame as if they alone could save me from the evils that slipped past me every day. "I'm thinking, Jacob Black, what it would be like to punch you on the other side of your face. But then… I also think of how sorry I would feel after that."

"I deserve it," he said, stepping in front of me. "To lead you into that hell hole this morning… Bella, if you want to hit me again, go ahead." He stood still, his body rigid, his jaw set tight, waiting for me to strike. My focus centered on the glistening coals of his eyes, burning bright like embers in a flame.

I leaned forward. He shut his eyes. My arms rose. His fists clenched. And I wrapped myself around him, burying my face in the crook of his neck, breathing in his balsam leaves and woodsy scent.

Jacob sighed and wrapped his arms around me, hugging me close. "I'm sorry," he murmured against my hair, his voice muffled. "Bells, I'm so sorry."

My fingers lightly stroked the base of his neck as my eyes traveled back to the scarlet morning sky. "Don't be."

~*~*~*~

**Jasper's POV:**

To a casual observer, the house before me would have seemed as silent as it would have been had it been abandoned for years. Though, as I walked up the front steps, it was anything but.

Worry. Sadness. Anger. Fear. Emotions swirled around me, licking at my skin, constricting my dead heart. I shut my eyes against their force, nearly pushing me back down the stairs. But the soft, weeping sounds from within the home beckoned me further. In a single motion, I was within the house, my eyes darting around until they landed on a small, celestial pixy. "Alice."

She looked up at me, her hands still cupped in her lap from where her face had been hidden. "Oh Jasper!" Her tiny arms were around me instantly as her body shook with tearless sobs.

"What's wrong, love?" I murmured, pulling her tightly against me, holding her quivering frame.

She sniffed quietly and pulled away. "It's… It's Edward. He's…" Her words faltered suddenly. Her eyes grew wide as her small nostrils flared.

"Alice, what is it?"

A door from behind me swung open and I sensed the presence of the rest of my family, minus a brother who continued to brood upstairs.

"Why does that smell so familiar?" Emmett asked, his voice unusually low.

I hadn't the time to think or move. Pounding feet raced down the grand staircase. A flaming rage scorched my skin, nearly blinding my line of sight as a wave of fiery bronze swept past me. Hands pinned me hard against a wall.

"Where is she?!" he yelled.

My eyes locked with his and I knew then how deeply imbecilic I was – leaving Bella without any way of covering for our little encounter. "Edward," I stated simply, calmly. "Who are you talking about?"

Inky black pooled across his amber gaze. "Marie," he seethed, fingers digging into my skin, his voice trembling like a leaf in winter, quivering from the ice as it froze its soul to stone. "She's all over you."

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Answerward awaits your questions...


	18. Ch 15: Training Day

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing in this story except for my own little plot line and any characters you may not recognize. Everything else is property of the genius Stephenie Meyer.

**A/N: **I won't even come up with excuses for right now. You all know my RL sucks. So with that said, my main A/N will be at the bottom. Read away!

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**Bella's POV:**

Warm sage and spicy pepper filtered through the air as the soft sound of sausage popping in scalding oil played a morning tune. Jake and I had just stepped through the front door as the sun began to rise over the horizon and the rich scents met my nose. Buttery pancakes sizzled on a griddle in the kitchen, their creamy mixture cooking to a golden brown. I breathed in deeply, feeling my mouth water at the delicious scents. Sweet oranges permeated the atmosphere as I noticed a familiar brunette making freshly squeezed juice.

She turned to me, and the muscles in my back instantly tightened.

Two pairs of violet eyes locked onto each other, searching for the other's inner feelings that each of us harbored. Guilt swam openly through the amethyst pools of her gaze. When she smiled at me, her lips mimicking the sweet smile of my dear best friend, I relaxed minutely.

"Choosing to play nice with me?" I asked calmly, making my way over to a pan of scrambled eggs that sat on the burner.

Verrin frowned as she turned her attention to the pancakes. "I figured if I looked like Alice, maybe you would hear me out."

The yellow, glistening yolks meshed together and hardened as I shuffled them around the pan. Turning to her, I said, "And what is it that you have to say? Are you going to point out my faults again? Or accuse me of turning my back on you? Because honestly, I could say that you did the latter to me first."

"Bella," Verrin sighed, letting the spatula rest on the counter. She glanced at Jacob as he passed quickly by us, flashing me a tentative smile. "I'm sorry," she finally said. "I don't know why we all ganged up on you like that yesterday. You hardly warranted that, especially after all of the mind games we've put you through. I didn't know that Gabriel would react so harshly, but it was the only thing I could think of… having him come down here, I mean. Please believe me when I say that I thought it was for your own good."

The eggs were now done and I flipped the burner off before placing the hot pan on a cool spot on the stove. Turning back to her, I crossed my arms and leant against the edge of the counter. "Elaborate."

She frowned and glanced down at her fingers, twisting knots in the hem of her shirt. "I was scared for you. When I found out that you were confiding in Jasper, I freaked out a little. I guess, I didn't know how that would bode well for our plan and… you were right." Verrin glanced up at me then, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "What you said last night about Gabriel and his plans… he hasn't told us everything. As our leader, we follow him without question. But as you pointed out to me yesterday, you're our leader too. I should have listened to you, Bella. I'm so sorry."

I groaned, letting my head fall into the heels of my hands. "You make it impossible for me to not forgive you when you look like her." When I lifted my gaze to hers, the corners of my lips pulled up into a slight grin. She smiled and launched herself at me, wrapping her tiny arms around my shoulders.

"Thank you," she whispered.

I hugged her back, relieved to see the animosity no longer held in her gaze towards me. But there was something she still needed to know. "I'm not sure if I can trust you after what you put me through," I told her, pulling away from her embrace. "You have to understand that."

She nodded without trying to argue with me.

"Yesterday… in the woods…" Now it was my turn to pick at my shirt nervously. "When Edward was there… I snapped. I don't want to have to ever witness a moment like that again, but you have to understand that I'm fighting with myself every moment to not run out of this house and straight towards him to tell him everything. Every day I see him in school, the urge becomes worse. And yesterday, I did what I thought was best, but then I questioned whether or not that was best for _him_. You said that I had been put through enough of your mind games, and you're right. I don't deserve to have my mind toyed with, but neither does Edward."

"Did Gabriel talk to you about that?" Verrin questioned, her gaze genuinely concerned.

"Yes." I shut my eyes tightly, remembering his words to me not so long ago. Turning away from her, I reached above me into a cabinet to pull down a large serving plate. "Anyway, I don't want to talk about that now."

Damian entered the kitchen then, rolling up the sleeves of his black button-down shirt. "What's burning?" he asked, sniffing the air.

Both Verrin and I turned to the griddle of pancakes that were now charred. "Shit!" Verrin cursed, quickly disposing of the black circles. Despite everything, I began giggling. My eyes strayed to a plate on the kitchen table where a stack of about twenty pancakes already sat. "Why do we have so much food?"

As if to answer my question, members of the wolf pack crowded around the table, all talking animatedly to each other.

"Hiya, Bells!" Seth called out to me, his smile wide and cheerful. It reminded me of Jake.

"Hey," I greeted, matching his smile.

Verrin set to work on more pancakes all while serving up heaps of sausage links onto a platter. I dumped the scrambled eggs into the dish I had retrieved and turned to set it on the table when the porcelain edge of the dish rammed into a strong chest. I glanced up to see Jacob looking down at me, his dark eyes glistening. "I've got it," he murmured, gently taking the dish from my hands.

"Um… thanks." I watched him curiously, biting down on my bottom lip as he laughed and attempted to place the eggs in the center of the table without anyone else digging their fingers into it.

"Here." Verrin thrust the platter of sausage into my hands, a knowing smile on her face. "Why don't you go throw this to the wolves."

"Hey, we heard that!" Quil yelled out, his eyes glinting with mirth.

I smiled and walked towards the table. "Yeah, well just because things are all fine and dandy between us now does not mean I'll let you attack this plate before everyone else gets a chance to eat."

Everyone seemed to quiet down and it was then that I saw the presence of the rest of my so-called "family" enter the room. Alex looked at me sadly, guiltily almost.

Sam broke the silence, almost making me forget that he was even there. "Bella, we're sorry about what happened yesterday."

"Ugh," I groaned. "Stop with the apologies. I'd prefer to just forget about yesterday if that's alright with everyone."

"I'm down with that," Embry piped up. "Now someone give me a fork. I've been eying those pancakes for five minutes now and I'll be damned if I'm not getting the first bite."

Jake smacked him up the side of the head, causing Embry to rub his skull tenderly. I shook my head at the two of them as I placed the dish next to the platter of eggs.

"Bella," Gabriel interjected, walking slowly towards me. "Would you like to take the day off from school?"

I frowned. "Why? What else do I need to do?"

"Well, I didn't have the pack come here to merely fill their appetites," he chuckled, a warm smile on his face.

I turned then to see Paul and Quil high-five each other from behind Jacob.

"Then why are they here?" I asked.

Gabriel's violet eyes twinkled in anticipation. "To help you train, of course."

~*~*~

The sun was bright overhead, chasing away the cloudy skies that tried to fight their way across the peninsula. I stretched my arms above my head, feeling my muscles lengthen and relax. Fortunately, I was able to take a nap before my training for the day began.

Billy had already called the school to inform them that I had come down with some kind of twenty-four hour bug, but that I should be back tomorrow and ready for my classes. Being that it was sunny, my day at school would have been uneventful at best. Neither Alice nor Edward would have even been there.

Maybe Gabriel already knew that.

I quickly jogged down the front stairs of the Black's home, feeling a smile cross my face as Jacob jumped up and down a few feet away from me, shaking his arms out to the sides and rotating his neck as if he were getting ready for a marathon run.

"I think I do remember challenging you to a race at some point," I said as I walked over to him.

He stopped and smiled down at me, the boyish dimples a reminder of the more human form of my Jake that I remembered. "Yeah and I think I was going to beat you, Swan."

"Not on your life." I playfully swatted at him and he dodged my antics, laughing happily.

Gabriel descended the front stairs then, followed eagerly by Catherine, Alex, Damian, and Verrin – the Treviarons who I should be able to trust. My smile faded.

"Bella," Gabriel greeted, his smile warm and matching that of the rest of his family. "You'll be training with us first before you have your fun with the pack. We'll start off easy, letting you hone in on your powers first before we move to any physical training. Damian and Catherine will take you first over to First Beach where it will be a more calming atmosphere."

I nodded curtly at him and allowed the two siblings to take me to Damian's car. We were silent during our short journey and I rolled down my window to enjoy the cool, salty breeze tossing my hair in various directions, and every once in a while, I would catch Damian's heated stare through the rearview window.

The small rocks were hard under my feet, but the chilled ocean water rolling over them and cooling my toes was refreshing. I breathed the sea air in deeply, relishing in its crispness.

"We'll sit here," Catherine requested, tossing her shoes to the side and instantly sitting down on a large flat rock. Two other equally sized boulders sat before her and Damian and I climbed up to our own respectful places. Crossing my legs Indian-style, I matched Catherine's peaceful stance. Her eyes were closed as she breathed in the chilly air.

"Is this like yoga or something?" I asked suddenly.

Damian grinned. "Or something."

"Just relax, Bella," Catherine murmured, the wind carrying her voice around me as it danced in between the tresses of my hair. "I want you to allow yourself to focus on your surroundings without the sense of sight. Understand?"

I nodded and resituated myself on the slab of stone until I was more comfortable. Following her instructions, I then closed my eyes. Red and yellow lights played behind my lids as the sun shone overhead. The rustling of leaves created a symphony of sound. I could almost imagine the sun supplying the chlorophyll in each leaf with the distinct shade of green that would make each fluttering waxy appendage one from the rest. The waves rolled in lilting cadences, overlapping each other in notes and chords of song.

"I want you to concentrate, Bella," Catherine whispered. "Tell me what you see."

I frowned, only seeing the dancing lights behind my closed eyes. "Nothing," I said.

"Concentrate harder. Let your mind go." Her voice was distant to my ears now, drifting away with the outgoing waves. Flashes of images raced through my mind – quivering pictures of green leaves, slate pebbles buried in the sand, midnight strands of hair blowing in the breeze, the sun's rays splitting a cloud in two.

"I see…" The water rushed forward, tumbling into frothy white foam. "Footprints in the sand washing away. I see a bird flying overhead. It's blue."

"Good," Catherine whispered. "What else?"

More images shook in my mind, reeling quickly like that of a movie strip. "A deer flitting in and out of the woods just beyond us. There are waves that splashed up against the rocky shore, scaring it away." Black and white lights streaked across the colorful mirage then. I furrowed my brow, feeling a sense of dread simmer in the pit of my stomach. The innocent illustrations in my mind burned away. Darkness clouded my sight, weaving patterns of ebony trees, waves of bronze hair dancing like flames, and red liquid pooling to the dirtied ground. I hadn't even noticed that my breathing picked up rapidly. Catherine called out to me, but her voice was so far away. Suddenly, a pale face appeared in my mind, his amber eyes pleading, his familiar, beautiful mouth whispering my name.

And then he was gone.

"Edward!" I cried out, falling forward in my attempt to reach out for him.

Strong arms caught me around the waist and I looked up to see Damian's worried gaze staring down at me. "Bella? Are you okay?"

"Heavens," Catherine muttered, jumping down to us. Her sweet face appeared above me, the worried lines of her skin drawn tight as she swept my hair away from my eyes. "Bella, what did you see?"

I couldn't speak, my lips unable to formulate words. Instead, I let them willingly read my mind. Their shocked glances told me that this lesson was at an end.

Catherine moved away from me, intent on grabbing a bottle of water for me from the car. But as she moved out of my sight, a flash of pale skin zipped through the tree line ahead. Narrowing my eyes, I stepped closer. Damian watched me curiously, his gaze flickering over to what had seemed to attract my attention every now and then. Though, he didn't seem to see what was playing out before my eyes.

Lukas stepped out from amongst the trees. His eyes pitch black, the inky fluid swirling around like nightmares infiltrating sweet dreams. He placed his hands over his stomach and pressed in. I could see the wrinkles of his blue shirt form around his fingers. And then he released himself, his hands stretched out before me, palms facing the sky. Crimson blood dripped from his dead, pale flesh. I watched, transfixed, as the cardinal liquid seeped into his shirt, spreading little veins that fed the cloth with its vital fluid.

"Help me." His lips formed the words, but no sound was heard.

The blood had drained from my skin as I slowly stepped backward, my whole body shaking. Damien stared at me in shock, his violet eyes darkening considerably. "Isabella," he murmured.

I turned to him, my breath coming out in quivering gasps. He grasped my arms gently as my body teetered on collapsing to the ground. "Bella," he said more firmly.

"Oh dear," Catherine uttered, hurriedly coming over to help me sit on the rocky shore. "Drink this." She handed me the cool bottle and I took it, squeezing my eyes shut as the soothing liquid quenched my suddenly parched throat. And when my eyes strayed to where the ghostly figure had been, there was nothing but the sight of velvet woods – empty, hollow, forgotten.

The remainder of our training session was kept to less challenging tasks. I spent the rest of my time learning more on how to communicate with each other through our inner thoughts. It was a skill that I looked forward to the most as Edward shared a similar power. I only wished that I could communicate with him in this way.

Around noon, we left the beach and returned home. I spotted Emily helping Sam divvy out paper plates full of sandwiches and chips for the guests. Billy smiled up at the scarred girl as he took his lunch from her.

I stepped out of the car and waved their way.

"Hello, Bella!" Emily greeted cheerfully. "Would you like some lunch?"

I smiled. "I'd love some. Thank you."

Sam walked over to her and gave her a gentle kiss to her temple. I watched them wistfully, remembering the story that Jacob had told me of Emily's accident. It made me wonder if that event didn't make their love stronger.

But as my thoughts began to drift away, I found Leah standing beneath the shadows of the porch, her dark eyes filled of a sorrow that I knew all too well.

Emily walked to me then and handed me a plate full of food. "I think I may have someone run out to the grocery store later for the bonfire tonight. There won't be anymore food left at the rate these wolves eat!" She turned pointedly to Quil and Embry who stood off the side, rolling their eyes at her as she passed. "How was your training, Bella?"

Turning my attention from Leah, I smiled. "It was… interesting," I hedged, accepting my lunch. "But I'm sure it won't be my last round of training for the day."

"You're correct in your assumptions," Verrin spoke up, her ebony locks fluttering behind her as she walked over to join us. "You'll be with Alex and myself after lunch."

"Well, that should be a party," I muttered, taking a bite of my sandwich. Verrin merely rolled her eyes and promised to make Alex play nice.

"Though I'm sure he's afraid you'll beat him up again," she said lightly and I couldn't help but chuckle. He had deserved it.

"Although, I'd be afraid too if I were you," I countered around a mouth full of ham and cheese.

Verrin's violet eyes twinkled daringly. "Is that a challenge?"

A slight grin washed over my lips as I stared back at the mirage of a pixie-like vampire. "Maybe."

Emily cleared her throat quietly and I turned to see Gabriel approaching us. "Slight change in plans, Bella. I'm afraid your session with Verrin and Alex will have to wait until later."

"Oh?"

Verrin frowned at my side but did little else to show her disappointment.

"Yes," he drawled, clasping his hands loosely behind his back. "I'd like to test your natural instincts first in order to get a better understanding of where you are now with your powers."

Jacob appeared instantly at his side, a sunshine bright smile lighting his ocher face. "How about that race you promised me, Swan?"

Several curse words and a half eaten sandwich later, Jacob and I stood at the edge of the forest, pushing and shoving playfully at each other like two first graders cutting up in the lunch line.

"Shouldn't have eaten that sandwich, Bells. By the time we're finished, you'll be puking all over the place."

"Good. I'll just make sure to aim it in your direction."

"Ouch," Embry uttered, a wide smile on his boyish face as he stood on the sideline with the rest of the pack.

"Now, Jacob. Let's play nice," Sam teased.

Gabriel walked the ground behind us, a knowing smile painted over his weathered features. "Yes, we wouldn't want bodily fluids flying about now would we?"

Several grimaces danced throughout the small crowd as Jacob made a slight gagging sound.

I smirked and shook my head as I looked at everyone that had surrounded us. "Hey, where's Seth?"

"He's meeting Jared on the other side of First Beach," Sam explained. "They'll be back soon."

Gabriel's voice rang loudly through the air, capturing my attention once more. "On the count of three, the both of you will race each other into the forest. There is a tall oak tree in the center of your path where Alex awaits you. Are you ready for the challenge? Bella? Jacob?"

He turned to each of us, waiting for our nod of approval.

"Very well." Gabriel's eyes darkened considerably at that moment, until a trace amount of vibrant amethyst glistened around the onyx pupils of his gaze. "One. Two."

Jacob bent his knees and stretched one of his legs back, causing the muscles in his calf to constrict almost painfully as he prepared to launch himself forward.

I merely stood, breath steady.

"Three."

The wind swept past my face, its icy sting burning my pale skin. And though water soaked the corners of my eyes, the experience, the speed with which I ran, was exhilarating.

My feet carried me effortlessly across the plush terrain, as if I was always meant to be this free. The adrenaline that bubbled through my veins ignited with the sheer power that fed the muscles that contracted around my heart.

Now I understood why Edward loved to run.

Twigs just barely skimmed past my face. A lone rabbit hardly noticed my presence as I passed it. When the birds were high above, their song did not break due to my intrusion in their environment.

Nothing could touch me.

I was even willing to bet that I was faster at running than Edward. And at that thought, I noticed that I was alone. Jacob was nowhere near me.

A grin upturned the corners of my lips as victorious thoughts raced through my mind. A few more strides and I was able to make out Alex's dark form, his hands clasped casually before him.

I began to slow down as I neared the finish line, but as I did, I noticed his arms unfold, his stance become more rigid as he began running towards me.

Two bodies collided in the air, eliciting vibrations that shook the ground beneath us. His hands gripped my shoulders as he slammed my back down hard into the dirt. Shocked, I stared up into the twin pools of ebony liquid that made up his eyes. "This is your challenge," he growled, his fingers digging into my skin. _Use your instincts, Bella. _

Heavy pounding rattled the earth as the musty scent of dog littered the moist air around us. I knew then that it was Jacob and that all of this was one of Gabriel's sick setups to test my powers. Enraged, feeling hot blood-red fire licking at my nerves, I pushed up on Alex's chest, sending his body high into the air. Within seconds, I stood, grabbing his heels and flinging his limp form into the advancing wolf that I called my friend.

A loud yelp echoed through the trees as Alex landed awkwardly on Jacob's furry body. Several growls littered the air, causing the birds overhead to take flight. I could feel the ground tremble beneath my feet as rocks bounced rapidly across the forest floor.

So this is what I was up against – a pack of wolves and Treviarons. Though Catherine and Gabriel were nowhere to be found, I could clearly make out the shapes of Verrin and Damian as they raced after the six werewolves that bounded towards my awaiting stance. Through their minds, I saw the blackness take over my sight, the demon within clawing its way over my humanlike appearance.

A grin, malicious and revengeful red, slid across my lips as two wolves, ones I could only guess were Quil and Paul, leapt towards me – baring teeth and eyes of fire. I flung my arm out, backhanding the darker of the two. A mass of mud-brown fur smacked loudly against a tree. The other wolf growled menacingly and I knew then, by the look of death in his eyes, that this was Paul.

"You should learn to control your temper," I hissed, racing towards him until my hand wrapped around the front of his neck. I lifted him up off the ground as if he weighed nothing more than a feather. His terrified eyes looked down at me, his limbs unmoving in shock.

_You will not attack me_, I silently chanted. _You will not hurt me. You will run back to the house and stay there._

I dropped him in enough time to see Leah's sandy fur blaze past me. Her lithe body bent low to the ground, clear liquid bubbling from her black lips as she snarled at me. My eyes shot over to Paul, as he took off running in the opposite direction, and I smiled.

_Go back to the house, Leah. _I looked up then as Verrin stalked through the trees, encircling us. Leah's ears flattened and she whined as if knowing the conflict that roared in her mind.

_Go back._ I ordered.

A cry of sheer agony ripped through the air. So piercing was its cry, that I grasped both sides of my head, fingers weaving through my hair, as I fell to my knees, whimpering at the sound. It was a voice that I knew. A voice so powerful that it could make my heart stop.

I saw _his_ face – Edward's beautiful, tormented face before my eyes. His mouth opened to release the arpeggio of sharps and flats that pierced my ears. "Oh God!" I cried out, wanting to look at anything but what I saw in my mind.

But that's when I noticed Damian. He stood silently in the shadows of the forest, watching me unravel before his very gaze.

Gritting my teeth, I focused on Leah's confused form, battling with my power to overrule the horrifying images that splayed out before me. I told her what I wanted her to do and as the sweat began to drip off of my forehead, I took great pleasure in seeing her bare her sharp rows of teeth towards the mysterious Treviaron who had sent me to my knees.

Damian was so focused that he barely saw Leah lunge for him, merely sprinting out of reach at the last moment and in doing so, releasing his hold on my mind.

I nearly collapsed in relief as my heart began to take on a more steadying pace.

_Bella, it's Embry. _

I turned behind me where a wintery gray wolf stood silently between the trees. His body was tense, but his eyes were soft.

_You're pretty damn scary right now. You know that? If it weren't for the Alpha laws, I'd just sit here as a spectator. _

I smirked despite everything that I gone on. Embry was always looking out for me, second to Jacob.

"Well, I'll make it easy for you."

Verrin stepped out of the shadows, and though I knew she would try to counteract my power on Embry, she also knew the repercussions of her actions should she attempt to further screw with my friends' minds. I had no right to do it myself, but at least this would get Embry back to the house.

_Embry. You've done your part now. Go back and help Emily for the bonfire tonight. _

Grinning, the smoky wolf took off towards the house just as Jacob stood to follow him.

_Might as well toss Jake around while you're at it. _

There was no power behind my words, so I smiled when Jacob's mind screamed a "fuck you, Bells" while Embry's mind laughed loudly.

"This isn't a game, you know," Verrin warned, moving closer to me, her hands resting on her slim hips. "You can't treat this as a joke, Bella."

I sighed, desperately trying to shake the disturbing images of Edward from my mind as I watched the remaining wolves return home. "So what? Does this mean I failed the test? I think I did very well, considering."

"Either one of us could have turned your friends against you."

"But why would you do that in a real attack?" I questioned, finding her argument pointless at best. "Why would you try to take out one of your own?"

Verrin was quiet, her violet eyes downcast, memorizing the pattern of leaves at her feet.

"Because," Alex murmured, walking up to his sister as Damian followed him. He breathed heavily as he plucked twigs from his shirt, releasing them to the forest floor. "We've had to do it before."

~*~*~*~

A mallard flew rapidly in the air as I ran past a small pond that lay as a mirror amongst the tall trees. Sunlight drifted through the leaves, creating golden spotlights that warmed my skin as I sped by.

I had learned too much – things that I never wished to know. My "siblings" had further explained Gabriel's story to me. Words and images of fear and death swirled through my mind, unrelenting and unforgiving as I searched for the one person who kept my newfound secrets safe.

I was close now, having already crossed the border.

A branch cracked in the distance and a flock of crows took flight.

"Jasper?" I called out, sensing his presence near. "Jasper, where are you?"

Turning around, I found him inches from my face, startling me as I stepped back. "What the hell? Why did you have to sneak up on me like that?"

He didn't say anything and I took the opportunity to look at his appearance. His amber eyes were wide, crazed almost. The blonde waves of his hair were frayed and unkempt. His mouth parted open slightly, wanting to speak and lacking the energy to do so.

For the first time since my birthday, Jasper Hale truly frightened me.

"Jasp – "

"You have to tell him," he rasped out, stepping closer to me. "Bella… you have to tell him."

"What?"

He shook his head maniacally, grabbing the tangled strands of his hair as he bent his head low. "He smelled you on me. They all smelled you. Stupid… stupid… what was I thinking?"

Cautiously, I took a step towards him as he started backing away. "Who smelled me?"

"Bella!" His fingers suddenly dug into the skin of my shoulders as his eyes pleaded with mine, the tiny black pupils contracting sharply. "You _have _to tell him!"

"Stop it!" I pushed against his stone-like chest, sending him stumbling to the ground. My shoulders ached from his tight grip. "What happened?"

He sat, dumfounded, amongst the mossy ground. "I had to make up a false memory. You didn't give me one last night…"

"Oh God," I whispered, covering my mouth with my hand. My mistake had nearly ruined everything, if it hadn't already. Maybe Verrin was right in thinking that I shouldn't have told Jasper. "Jasper, I – I'm so sorry. I wasn't thinking…"

"I told them that I found you, rather Marie, lost in the woods," he explained, his eyes growing distant as he stared past me. "That I led you out and back to the main highway. It was something for Edward to see in my mind but I don't think he believed me. None of them do."

His eyes slid over to mine and I could see in his mind the terrible guilt that consumed my nervous stance, hidden in every worried line on my face.

"You have to tell him, Bella."

Now it was my turn to shake my head. "No, I can't do that."

He stood before me in seconds, his gaze hard yet I couldn't look at him. I refused to look into the pain that swirled in his gaze.

"I'm sorry, I just can't."

"And I can't keep lying for you, Bella," he murmured harshly. "I can't keep doing this to them - to Alice. You don't know how much it's killing me to do this."

"I'll…" My mind raced with possible ideas that would fix the current situation. "I'll make your memory more believable so that they won't question you – "

"No."

The finality of his tone nearly stopped my overly erratic heart.

"I can't keep doing this, Bella. I won't keep doing this. If you won't tell him, I will."

Frustrated, I blurted out the only thing I could think of to keep him from running back to his home. "I could erase your mind."

"You could," he agreed, his voice more solemn. "But I know you won't."

"They won't believe you."

He chuckled sardonically. "You underestimate my powers, Bella."

"Jasper, you can't tell him." I was growing more agitated by the minute. My hands trembled, ready to grab him should he run from me.

"And why the hell not?" he shouted, a growl shaking beneath the undertones of his voice. "Why won't _you_ tell him?"

"Because I can't!" I grabbed his arm, desperately pleading with him. "I can't, Jasper. Please don't do this to him."

He stared down at me, his eyes darkening considerably. "What would I be doing to him, Bella? Don't you think he deserves to know?"

Tears filled my eyes as I quietly shook my head. I wanted Edward to know the truth more than anything, but I couldn't let him know like this.

He released me from his arm, disgusted. "The fact that you're willing to put them all through this torment is sickening."

Jasper turned from me, intent on running back to the house, knowing that I wouldn't stop him for fear of being caught.

"Jasper please!" I clutched onto his arm again, willing to put him through physical pain if need be. "Please don't kill him!"

He froze then, his eyes shocked as he turned to me. "What did you say?"

"You can't tell him," I pleaded. "Edward will die if he finds out the truth now." I sank to my knees, shaken, unraveled. "Please."

My hands slipped from his arm as they fell into my lap. I felt useless and weak as I whimpered pathetically in a string of words that had no meaning. He bent down to my level, his golden eyes bright as they searched the tears that streamed down my cheeks. "Don't tell him," I repeated. "Please, please don't tell him."

"Bella." His hands came up to grab both sides of my face, making me focus on him once again. "Look at me."

I did as I was told and instantly felt a soothing calm wash over my limbs. My tears began to dry and my whimpers turned to quiet breathing. I swallowed heavily and reached up to thread my fingers through his. This being before me was my only link to sanity. He gave me light where there was only dark. I couldn't let him leave me, not now. "Jasper," I whispered. "There's something I need to tell you."

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**A/N #2:** Apparently, I write cliffhangers of doom. I'm not sorry for this. lmao

Firstly, I would like to thank my beta, **twi-ction** and my awesome SP cheerleaders, **pixievamp08** and **thatisastory**. These girls are what keep me trucking through the hard times of writers block. Honestly, I couldn't do this without them. :)

Secondly, I ended this update prematurely. There was a lot more that I had wanted to get to but I knew it would take me even longer to finish this. So, I apologize for not having a more lengthy update for you all, but I will give you a hint as to who will be popping up in the next update.

Hint: "Don't mess with the 'stache."

There you go. Get excited kids.

Thank you so much for those of you who stick with the story and my lame updating self. I really do appreciate it. :) I'm going to try to post sneak peeks on my livejournal page from now on (the link is in my profile). So, if you find yourself in need of an SP fix, go pop on over there and see if I've posted something.

Reviews are much better than cliffhangers of doom. :)


	19. Ch 16: Helpless

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing in this story except for my own little plot line and any characters you may not recognize. Everything else is property of the genius Stephenie Meyer.

**A/N: **Big thanks to my beta, **twi-ction**! Love her! :D Also, again I must thank you all so much for sticking with this. I know it's hard to keep up with a fic as complicated as this one when it doesn't update that often. Your support never fails to astonish me. Thank you! :)

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_Previously:_

_"Jasper please!" I clutched onto his arm again, willing to put him through physical pain if need be. "Please don't kill him!"_

_He froze then, his eyes shocked as he turned to me. "What did you say?"_

_"You can't tell him," I pleaded. "Edward will die if he finds out the truth now." I sank to my knees, shaken, unraveled. "Please."_

_My hands slipped from his arm as they fell into my lap. I felt useless and weak as I whimpered pathetically in a string of words that had no meaning. He bent down to my level, his golden eyes bright as they searched the tears that streamed down my cheeks. "Don't tell him," I repeated. "Please, please don't tell him."_

_"Bella." His hands came up to grab both sides of my face, making me focus on him once again. "Look at me."_

_I did as I was told and instantly felt a soothing calm wash over my limbs. My tears began to dry and my whimpers turned to quiet breathing. I swallowed heavily and reached up to thread my fingers through his. This being before me was my only link to sanity. He gave me light where there was only dark. I couldn't let him leave me, not now. "Jasper," I whispered. "There's something I need to tell you."_

-

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Bella's POV:

"_Either one of us could have turned your friends against you." _

"_But why would you do that in a real attack?" I questioned, finding her argument pointless, at best. "Why would you try to take out one of your own?" _

_Verrin was quiet, her violet eyes downcast, memorizing the pattern of leaves at her feet. _

"_Because," Alex murmured, walking up to his sister as Damian followed him. He breathed heavily as he plucked twigs from his shirt, releasing them to the forest floor. "We've had to do it before." _

"_Over two hundred years ago, Lukas lead our kind into war," Damian explained, the thick accent of his voice strong in the air. "We fought over five thousand strong compared to the ten thousand troops of Aro's deranged army."_

_  
I blanched at his statistics, unsure of how that number bode well for our side. _

_But Damian smiled, his violet eyes glistening beneath the shadow of the trees. "Dear Isabella, you have much still to learn about your kind. If not for the eclipse that day, we could have taken out Aro's army with merely a thousand of our own."_

"_If that much," Alex murmured. He watched me carefully, as if calculating how I would react to their tale. _

"_You are a leader of us now," Damian said. "And as such, you should know the implications of your role." _

_Verrin crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes piercing through mine. "The number one rule you must always follow is to be careful."_

"_Take your lover's advice," Alex suggested softly. "And never trust those around you."_

"_Not even us," Verrin whispered. _

_I looked at the three beings before me; powerful in their stance, yet alien in the way they moved and looked. The amethyst swirls that made up their irises glowed in a way that only an immortal could possess. Their words should have frightened me, but as I stood before them, one against three, I knew that I was no different – that my eyes were just as foreign, my body just as impenetrable. Yet, I was more powerful than all three of them combined. _

"_Tell me what happened to Lukas," I demanded, my eyes fixing on Damian's sharp gaze. _

"_We were in Romania," he began, slowly clasping his arms behind him in a more relaxed state. "The fight had gone on for hours under the eclipse. We were weak. Useless." _

"_But still more powerful than our enemies," Verrin interjected, shooting Damian a warning glance. _

"_Sister, we were powerless," he seethed. "We lost several of our kin that day. Do not forget that." _

_Verrin clenched her jaw and I could almost see the glorious demon within her come to life. _

"_Lukas had sent a thousand of our troops toward Aro's army, hoping to divide them and move both sides to the outskirts of the forest where the remainder of our army waited for them. In doing so, he was going to try to provoke Hekate." _

_I nodded, remembering the story that Gabriel had told me the night before. "Yes, Gabriel told me that Lukas could only recite the prayer twice before he was killed." _

_A mere whisper issued through the air, a word spoken in a different tongue, yet I understood it to be "precisely." _

_Frowning, I looked to Verrin who merely smiled at me. "Yes, Bella, you just understood Greek perfectly." _

"_That was Greek?" _

_She chuckled, signaling her affirmation. "You understand the language of our tribe." _

"_You mean I could speak it fluently… right now?" _

_Alex smirked, sending his sister a sidelong glance. "Well, I don't know about that, but you can understand if you hear it." _

_I shook my head, frowning at his explanation. "That makes no sense." _

"_Since when did any of this make sense, Bella?" _

_I took in the kind smile on his face, the gentle light in his eyes and wondered why he had hidden this side of himself from me before._

"_So… how did Lukas die, exactly?" I directed my attention back to Damian, knowing that I would have plenty of time to talk with Alex about his behavior in the future. _

_He nodded, already having listened to my thoughts. _

_Damian cleared his throat, preparing to further explain his story. "That, we are not one hundred percent sure of. Whoever got to him that night, clearly knew what he or she was trying to do. More over, that person was also fast enough to get to him." _

"_Even with an eclipse, Bella, we are still faster than any immortal that walks this Earth," Verrin clarified. "So, that means that whoever killed Lukas was one of our own kind." _

_I had known the answer to this all along, having already heard it from Gabriel, yet it did nothing to stop the slow chill that crept down my spine. "Gabriel told me that no one had seen who killed him."_

"_He's correct," Damian answered. "With the fighting going on, it was hard to discern anything."_

"_So… this person is still out there, right?" _

_The three of them nodded silently. There was a reason they brought up this story, a story I had already been privy to, and now I needed to know why. "You said that you've had to turn against your own kind before. Why is that?" _

_Alex stepped forward, taking over for his brother. "Afterward, we had to be very thorough in our search for the traitor. Every single one of us was manipulated into telling the truth that night. But as you can see, even then the truth was tampered with. One who has the power to manipulate cannot manipulate another with the same power. There are flaws, loopholes. It was a never-ending, vicious cycle. But not one of us thought twice to turn against our own kind, merely for the sake of finding the one who ruined our guard that day."_

"_Be careful what you tell him, Bella," Verrin muttered._

_I turned to her then, eyes shocked. "Excuse me?" _

"_To Jasper," she defined. "I know that's who you'll be seeing soon. Make sure he doesn't try to tell the truth to Edward." _

"_I…" At the sound of his name, my heart began hammering violently within my chest. What she was saying began to make no sense. "I don't understand… why – "_

"_Think about it," Damian urged, his voice low. "Whoever it was in our group, who killed Lukas, knows everything about you. This war is what they've been waiting for, to take out the chosen one. You let something like this slip now, Bella, and those you love will die. Edward and Jacob weren't mentioned in the prophecy for mere entertainment."_

"_But Jacob already knows everything," I countered. "Why can't Edward?"_

"_First of all, Jacob doesn't know the entire prophecy," Verrin explained. "I know you told him quite a bit on your way to La Push, but you didn't tell him that he was also included in the prophecy, did you Bella?"_

_I thought back to that day when Jake and I were on the road from Jacksonville. It seemed so long ago, which then reminded me that I needed to send a letter to Renee and Charlie soon. "No, I guess I didn't." _

"_We didn't either," Alex said. "When I first met with the pack, I made sure to leave out some of the details."_

"_But, I still don't understand. His life is in danger; _both_ their lives are in danger. Don't they have the right to know about the prophecy?"_

_Damian stepped forward, his face stoic as his amaranthine eyes locked with mine. "Isabella, they will know the truth soon. Right now is not that time. More specifically, if Edward finds out too soon, he'll die."_

_My heart stuttered. My lungs forgot to expand. Everything in my world failed to work as my nightmares began to take a corporeal form._

"_What? Why?" _

_I stared hard at the three Treviarons before me, waiting for another answer. Their eyes strayed to the ground and as I infiltrated their minds, I was only met with questions. "You don't know, do you? Gabriel hasn't told you has he?" _

_Verrin looked up at me first, confusion lacing the lines of her face. _

"_What is wrong with you?" I yelled. "Why don't you ask questions? Why do you trust him without a second thought?" _

"_Don't you?" Alex asked._

_I turned to him and sighed. "I haven't decided that yet." _

"_We don't ask questions, Bella, because Gabriel is our leader. We're not meant to questions his actions," Damian explained. "It's what we've always done."_

"_Well…" I nodded slightly, lowering my gaze briefly. "Regardless of whether you approve of my position now, I'd like to think that you would question me if you felt like it."_

_Time was wasting and I knew that I needed to see Jasper soon. Before I left, I took a step closer to him, leveling my gaze with his. "Though, I would hope that I could trust you enough so that I wouldn't have to keep secrets from you." _

Jasper sat still before me, his eyes rimmed with a tiredness I had never known. "You don't know then, do you? No one knows why Edward would die if he were to find out?"

I shook my head, wiping a stray tear away with my sleeve.

"What if they're lying, Bella? Have you ever thought of that?"

"They're not."

"How can you know? You don't trust them at all! I don't need to feel your emotions to know that much. How do you know that they're not telling you a load of bullshit, Bella?!"

I stared up at him, then. Jasper had risen to his feet, the muscles in his body taut as he shook with rage. "I just know, Jasper."

"You just know," he repeated, shaking his head. "Wake up! You need to find out whether this is true or not. We can't mess up something like this!"

"I know!" I shot up to his level then, my voice venomous. "I don't question them, I know that they're not lying. You're right, Jasper. We can't mess this up and that means that I will not let you go off and tell him, do you understand me?"

"That's right," said a voice from behind us. We both turned, shocked at the presence of Damian Rigas. "I do not agree with Isabella's choice to include you, Jasper Hale. But you cannot and will not tell our little secret. Do I make myself clear?"

Jasper stiffened and I watched as the tawny irises of his eyes turned into onyx jewels.

"Damian, I can handle this," I warned. "Go back to house. I'll meet you there."

He turned to me, his violet eyes quick. And instantly, images of Edward filled my mind. He was screaming as hands gripped his face, cracking the cold marble of his skin. I sank to the ground, clutching my head as I cried out. Edward's fingers twisted in the grass beneath him and I heard his repeated screams tortuously invading my mind. Every bone in my body ached, my muscles clenched, my heart beat violently. I wanted to die. I wanted to be in his place. _Anything but to see this_. And then suddenly… it stopped.

I breathed heavily, noticing a faint noise in the background as if a struggle was taking place. Slowly, I opened my eyes.

Damian held Jasper by his neck, dangling him up off the ground as if he were a mere child's toy.

I saw his eyes roll back into his skull as Damian's fingers squeezed the hard flesh of his neck.

When the first crack of his skin traveled up to his jaw, I reacted. All I knew was the impact that my body made with another. As soon as Jasper was free, I flung Damian's body into the closest tree. He cried out in agony as a broken tree limb speared through the flesh of his abdomen. My fingers gripped the top of his neck, pinning his head back against the tree trunk.

"If you so much as touch him or anyone I care about ever again, I _will_ kill you, Damian Rigas. Make no mistake about that."

Without another word, I ripped his body from the tree. Nauseating sounds of flesh tearing against the bark met the evening air, but I couldn't let my mind focus on that. I'd surely throw up if I did.

Damian clutched his stomach where a shredded hole from his shirt was stained with blood. We both watched as his skin healed within seconds.

He looked up at me, shocked.

"Go back to the house," I ordered, my voice firm.

He stepped forward, his mouth moving as if to say something.

"You said you follow your leader's orders without question, Damian," I said, making my point quite clear. "Go back to the house. Now."

Within a flash, he was gone.

I turned to Jasper, who sat on the forest floor, his eyes wide with alarm. "Bella," he breathed. There was terror in his voice and in that moment, I instantly regretted pulling him into this whole charade.

A mere second passed by before I was at his side. "Jasper, I'm so sorry." My hands gently touched his neck, inspecting the marble-like skin to see if it had healed.

It had.

Yet the look on his face made my heart break. He was afraid… of me. Slowly, I removed my hands from his face. "I… I won't hurt you, Jasper. I promise. I'm so sorry that this happened to you, but… I won't… I won't – "

"I know," he whispered. "I know you won't hurt me."

He didn't say anything more, but his words did little to ease my anxiety. I sighed and rocked back on my heels until I was sitting completely on the ground. "Think of the memory you gave to Edward," I told him.

Jasper looked at my quizzically but did as I said.

I saw myself as Marie, tripping through the woods, frightened. He came upon me, wondering if I was lost. When I said that I was, he told me he'd be happy to show me out, saying that he lived out here with his family and that two of his sibling were in my class at school. I then saw the main highway where my car was parked.

"Jasper, that's the best you could do?" I teased, a small smile playing across my lips.

Though he did not smile. His eyes simply stared through mine. "I didn't have much time, Bella."

"Right," I murmured. Taking in a deep breath, I concentrated on the thought, solidifying it so that his family could no longer question him on the matter, and this time I made sure that my scent would not be noticeable to them. "When you go back to them, you will tell them that you were out on a hunt, nothing more. Do you understand?"

He nodded.

"Good."

He left soon after that. And as I returned back to the house, my mind played over his words to me before Damian's arrival.

"_What if they're lying, Bella? Have you ever thought of that? You don't trust them at all! Wake up! You need to find out whether this is true or not. We can't mess up something like this!"_

"Edward," I whispered. "Jacob." What if my new family was lying to me? What if everything I had been told up until now was a farce? Anger seethed through my veins, bubbling hot and searing my soul. I took off in a flash, racing toward the Black's home. It only took mere seconds for me to run up to the stairs and through the front door.

"Where is he!?" I screamed, stalking through the small hallway.

Emily looked up at me in alarm from her position at the stove. "Bella?"

The pack sat around the small kitchen table, which was littered with full grocery bags, their dark eyes following my every move. Sam stood up, panicked, but Jacob stopped him. "Bella, what's going on?"

I didn't answer him as I continued my path into the living room where my family awaited me. Damian was already back and by the thoughts that raced through the air, he had told them all of what I had done.

"Now, Bella," Gabriel began, standing up from the worn rocking chair. "Let's discuss what happened in the woods with Jasper."

"You son of a bitch!"

"What's going on?" Leah demanded, racing into the room as the rest of the pack followed her. Sam kept Emily towards the back of the room, along with Billy.

Jacob tried to stop me as I made my way to the elder Treviaron by grabbing my arm, but I easily shook him off.

"What are you not telling me?" I spat. Before I knew it, my fingers curled around the material of Gabriel's shirt as I pinned him against the wall. Several pictures from the mantel beside of us fell off, shattering to the floor. "What are you hiding?!"

"Isabella," Gabriel gasped. "Please, I –"

"Don't call me _Isabella_," I seethed. The fury that overtook me was more powerful than I had ever dreamt I could feel. I didn't enjoy it, but I needed this fire. If I was ever going to find out the truth, I needed to show that I was capable of receiving it.

"You wanted me to trust you. I gave you a second chance! But how can I trust you now if you won't tell me everything?"

"Enough!" His arms came up between my own, knocking me away from him. I stumbled back into the corner of the couch, moving the piece of furniture out of place by at least a few feet. Pushing my hands off of the clothed arm of the couch, I rushed back to him, only to be blocked by Catherine.

_Stop, _she commanded.

My feet failed to bring me forward as my knees locked into place. I glared at her, breaking her resolve slowly. Past her, my eyes met those of Gabriel. "Why won't you tell them about the prophecy? The complete version of it?"

His jaws clenched as he gently pushed Catherine aside. "We will not discuss this here."

"We _will_ discuss this here. Now."

"We can't."

"Why not?"

"Bella, the bonfire…" Verrin spoke up. However, she immediately backed away as I rounded on her.

"I don't give a damn about the bonfire. I want to know the truth about _everything_, once and for all."

"I'm afraid we can't do that just yet," Gabriel snapped. I turned to him, my sight blinded by hate. "Your father's here."

"What?" My eyes blinked in rapid succession as I tried to process what had just been said. It was the last thing I had expected to hear. "What do you mean, he's _here_?"

"He just pulled up in the driveway," Alex explained. "For the bonfire…"

"He's supposed to take me to the beach." Billy's voice was quiet as it carried from the back of the room.

It took several deep breaths to steady my temper to a mere irate.

"Bella, you need to go into your room to change," Verrin said, timidly walking to me. "I'll help you."

Without another word, I moved to exit the room, not bothering to meet the eyes of the several people who moved out of my way. But then I stopped.

"Just one last thing," I muttered. My fist clenched at my side as I turned back towards Gabriel. Walking straight for him, I raised my fist and rammed it into his face. The crunching sound of bone echoed throughout the room as his nose shattered beneath my knuckles.

"Gabriel!" Catherine cried out, rushing over to him as he fell to the ground, his hands instantly covering his gushing nose.

"You _will_ tell me after the bonfire," I hissed. And in a flash, I was back in the room that Verrin and I shared, tears streaming down my face and heavy, choked sobs escaping my lips.

"Bella…"

I shut my eyes at the sound of her voice. If I kept them closed long enough, I could almost imagine that it was Alice in the room with me. Her inquisitive eyes would watch my every move as she rang her hands before her, lips pursed. The shadows from her pixie hair would dance across the walls as she walked toward me.

But as I turned around, eyes wide open, the person before me was not my best friend. She was someone who I could not trust. And that brought me little comfort.

"My father is outside," I whispered.

Her violet eyes were solemn as she stood in the darkness of our room. "I know."

"I know the Cullens are nearing a decision to go to Volterra soon, despite Jasper's anxiety and paranoia."

She nodded, confirming my words.

"Verrin, this may be the last time I ever get to see Charlie."

"Yes." Her voice was barely audible, just shy of a whisper, yet the magnitude of that one word swallowed my heart.

I felt like giving up. I was lost, confused. The truth was there, yet I was unable to catch it. I couldn't trust any of the Treviarons. My own kind… they were aliens to me. All of my power, every last pent up drop of energy, died in that single moment.

"Tell me what to do," I murmured.

Verrin stepped forward, her voice soft as she spoke. "Close your eyes."

My eyelids fluttered shut, releasing crystalline tears.

"You are Marie," she told me, her voice soothing, soft. "You are not Isabella Rigas, the Treviaron, but Marie Rigas, the human. There are no troubles in your life. Your heart beats for one person. Your mind is silent with quiet bliss. Your nerves are calm and as you breathe, your lungs fill with cool, refreshing air that belongs to the human within you. Your troubles, your worries, are tucked away in the recesses of your mind. Right now, you are fine. Right now, everything is perfect."

I opened my eyes and looked up at her. In the reflection of her gaze, I saw the flowing locks of blonde hair covering my shoulders, and I sighed. Her words held no mystical power over my mind, but they helped to calm the fear and frustration that haunted my soul.

"Here," she said, suddenly producing an old weathered book in her hands. She held it out to me slowly.

Recognition lit across my face as I took the book from her. "This is one of your journals."

Verrin nodded, watching as I gently flipped through the antique pages. "Read this and then ask Gabriel your questions."

Startled, I glanced back up at her. She said nothing more but the look in her eyes told me that this was a key – a step closer to the truth. Carefully, I tucked the journal beneath my pillow as the sound of Charlie's voice boomed through the small home.

The mere sound of it stilled my movements as I bent over my bed, arms barely supporting my shaking form.

"We will not be out there with you tonight, Bella," Verrin uttered. "Charlie doesn't know that we are here and we'd like to keep it that way."

I turned around suddenly, facing her. "Why can't I stay with you?" I pleaded, dreading the thought of seeing Charlie and knowing that I could never communicate with him in the way I'd like.

Verrin moved toward the door, her hand paused over the handle before her eyes locked with mine. "Why would you?"

~*~*~

The smell of the charcoal grill wafted through the air, simmering and savory. As I climbed out of Jacob's old Rabbit, the rusted door whining as I closed it shut, I turned to where a pile of wood sat untouched, flaming in the middle of the white sand of First Beach. Sam was firing up the grill, a plate of hamburger patties by his side, and the rest of the pack stood around the bonfire, roasting hotdogs on the ends of long skewers. The lulling sound of the waves rushing to the shore was soothing, intermingling with the caws of the gulls that flew overhead.

Charlie's cruiser was parked nearby and I only let my eyes stray on it for a mere second before heading down to the beach. I walked toward the small crowd of familiar faces, a particular laugh calling me.

"I haven't heard from her yet, but I'm sure she's been really busy. Thanks for the beer, Billy."

Charlie stood behind the opposite side of the fire, a glass bottle in hand, as he talked to Billy who seared the meat of his hotdog in the flames.

I made to move toward them but the sound of several howls echoed into the evening air. We all turned to the surrounding trees, searching the darkening shadows for a sign of life. The sun was just now beginning to set.

"It's Jared and Seth." Jacob was by my side, his chestnut eyes blazing in the reflection of the fire. "They're back."

"From where?"

He turned to me, his mouth drawn in a tight line. "Romania."

I wrapped my arms around myself as a cool breeze swept past us. A chill ran down my spine as I recalled the story from Damian earlier that day. "That's where Jared was?"

"Yes."

Jacob directed his attention to Sam, who stood by the grill, his body stiff, alert. "Remember when Gabriel told you that Sam was in Nova Scotia not that long ago?"

I vaguely recalled the conversation that the three of us held in the Rigas' home back in Florida. "I think so."

"He was there to talk with a pack in that area, to ensure that they would be on our side in the war – which they are. Jared was doing the same in Romania."

Fairytales and urban legends ran through my mind, stories of werewolves and vampires from an age full of mysticism and fear. It was a world far away from Washington. "Didn't Dracula have a place in Romania?"

"What?" Jacob seemed confused, his eyes narrowed. "Don't you mean Transylvania?" he joked.

"No," I nudged him with my arm, irritated. "Not fang Dracula. I mean the real one, Vlad the Impaler."

Jake stared at me as if I had grown a second head.

"Did you even pay attention in world history?" I asked, annoyed.

"No, but Romania is the place where werewolves are probably believed in the most. Apparently, there's a large pack of them there. Sightings are constantly reported and they've gone back for thousands of years. Kinda cool, huh?"

"Clearly," I smirked. "So, did Jared have any luck?"

"I don't know," he sighed.

It was then that Sam turned toward Jacob, silently communicating his attention. Jacob nodded and turned to me. "I think Sam wants the two of us to go meet with Jared and Seth. I'll let you know what we find out."

"Okay."

I watched, eyes worried, as Jacob walked briskly to his leader.

Sam chose that moment to speak up. "Chief Swan," he called.

Charlie moved from around the fire, his beer still in hand. "Yep?"

"Would you mind taking over the grill for me? Jacob and I are going to go find some more firewood. Marie over here can help you. She's pretty good when it comes to food." He turned around to look at me, a knowing smile on his face. "I think she'd really like to help you out."

"Likely to make up for that ticket I almost gave her," Charlie teased, walking up to the grill.

I blinked, unsure of what to say, what to do. My feet felt frozen in place as I watched Sam and Jacob jog off toward the tree line.

"Well get over here, Rigas, we've got a lot of burgers to flip."

It was like a snap of the fingers, jolting me out of my daze. I quickly went over to him, feeling awkward and nervous. "Is there another set of tongs?" I asked.

Charlie smiled as he handing me a spare set that sat in a bag by his feet. "Here you go. So… you like to cook or something?"

"Um… yeah. Ever since my mom… uh… taught me, I've always found my way into the kitchen." It was hard, talking to him about Renee without even mentioning her name.

He chuckled lightly. "You sound a lot like my daughter. Bella is her name. She would always whip up some meals for the two of us when I got in from the station." He sighed heavily, flipping a meat patty as the flames lapped around its round surface. "She's in Ecuador on a Habitat trip right now. I miss her."

I swallowed the lump that formed in my throat. "I'm sure she misses you too. You seem like a pretty cool dad, Chief of Police and all."

Charlie grinned. "Eh, I don't think she cared for the cruiser that much. I think it embarrassed her a little."

There was a short pause as I flipped another burger. I looked up at him, my daddy, a man I was and would always be proud of. "I don't see why."

He looked down at me and smiled, a sad line tracing his thin lips. "How old are you?"

"Eighteen."

His eyes grew distant then, remembering pastimes that I longed to share with him again. "I think you two would be good friends if you ever meet her."

I smiled, clearing my throat lightly. "I'm sure we would."

"How do the burgers look?" Emily asked, a bright smile lighting her face.

Charlie set his tongs down and hooked his thumbs through the belt loops of his jeans, a smug look masking his worn face. "I'd say our handiwork looks pretty damn good." He winked at me before turning to the rest of the pack who laughed and chased each other with their skewers.

I scoffed. _Boys._

Charlie cupped his mouth with one hand as he shouted, "Who wants some burgers?"

Hours after the fire had died down and everyone else had left, Charlie included, I sat at the water's edge, my bare toes welcoming the cool water that lapped up to the shore.

It was quiet, save for the lulling sounds of the crickets miles away.

I heard soft approaching steps behind me, but made no move to turn around. I already knew who it was.

"Hey." Jacob sat down beside of me, shivering when the water met his feet.

I didn't say anything to him and he knew why. Jacob always knew what I was feeling and tonight had been especially hard on me. Without a word, he placed a hand on my shoulder and squeezed.

"How did things go?" I questioned, my voice hoarse yet soft.

He removed his hand and bent his knees up, resting his arms across them. "Not good. Jared looks terrible. Apparently, the wolves attacked him, calling him a spy for the Volturi."

"What?" I breathed, shocked as I turned to him. "How could they think that?"

"They're a very old and very different culture than what we're used to, Bells. They've known of the Volturi longer than any of us. It wouldn't be hard to see why they thought that he was a spy."

"That's ridiculous, though."

Jacob shrugged. "Regardless, we'll have to try again and in some other way. We have to connect with them, Bella."

He frowned, lines of worry etching his mahogany skin. I watched him, troubled at his behavior. The sunny, happy Jacob that I knew, _my_ Jacob, was no longer there.

"I'm scared," he whispered, his words barely audible. When he looked up at me, his eyes shining in fear, my heart shattered. "I'm scared, Bella."

I threw my arms around him, crushing his body against mine as I tucked my face into the crook of his neck, placing a gentle kiss to the skin there. "I'll get us through this, Jake." My hand rubbed soothing circles across his back. "I promise."

~*~*~

The moon was especially bright that night. Its ethereal glow kissed the leaves of the trees, creating a dancing menagerie of light across the forest floor.

A salty wetness stained my cheeks as I walked in a daze through the labyrinth of evergreens. Small, delicate white flowers littered the ground. Each one that brushed against the coarse fabric of my jeans lost a petal, as if they too were crying out for me.

Tiny flickers of light caught my eye and I glanced up to see several lightening bugs blinking in the air, spinning and twirling in their own way as they created a blanket of stars before me.

I had lost Charlie… for good.

My throat tightened, cutting off oxygen to my lungs, which now burned unbearably with the desperate action to expand. My shoulders shook involuntarily as finally a strangled gasp escaped my lips. I breathed in sharply, letting the agony consume every muscle, every fiber of my being.

And I grieved. I grieved for my father, for my mother, and for the moment when they would come to find the loss of their only child. I grieved for Jacob, for Edward, and for Jasper's unrelenting trust in me. All of the pain that would be felt by these people was all because of me.

I needed to get away. Jacob tried to get me to come back home with him, but I refused. I just couldn't go back there, not yet.

"Help me," I whimpered, holding my soaked face in my hands. "Please, someone help me."

A loud crack startled me and it was in that moment that human Bella, the one that was kept locked away, broke free. I stumbled over an exposed root, causing me to lose my balance and fall forward until my head smacked against a fallen log. I lay there quietly, succumbing to the darkness that consumed my mind. It was peaceful here. Silent.

And then there was a voice. Soft chords of sound drifted through the air, creating melodies of syllables that I had only dreamt of hearing. It was like heaven.

"Marie," the voice said. "Marie, can you hear me?"

I felt a soft pressure on my head and then a sudden coldness against my skin.

"Open your eyes."

I did as I was told. A mess of blurry blacks and maroons met my sight, slowly progressing to objects of more clarity.

"Marie?"

I turned toward the sound, gasping at the vision before me. Amber eyes looked down at me, surrounded by snowy, porcelain skin. Bronze, soft flames waved atop his head in the gentle breeze of the night air. I reached up, touching the frozen skin of his cheek with my fingertips. Instantly, he stilled before me, his jaws clenched.

"Edward?"

And it was as if my voice soothed every constricting muscle in his body. His jaw relaxed against my lingering fingers as he stared down at me. It was then that I noticed his hand against my forehead.

"You fell," he murmured.

"Edward," I repeated, unable to say anything else.

He seemed to be battling several emotions at once, because he looked at me with such sorrow as his thumb gently stroked my skin.

Without another word, he moved his arms beneath my back and legs, scooping me up in his arms. I folded in against him, resting my cheek on his shoulder.

He was silent as he began carrying me back in the direction from where I came. I watched as the shadows passed over his face. He made particular care to avoid the glittering spotlights of the moon.

"Am I bleeding?" I asked.

He tilted his head slightly in my direction; so slight that no one else would have noticed it. Only me.

"No. You did hit your head pretty hard though. Don't be surprised if a knot begins to form."

I grinned, resting my hand across his chest. "Well, at least now we'll have another topic of discussion in class, right?"

He didn't say anything right away, but I could see the subtle hint of a grin on his lips.

Being who I was, I knew the pressure in my head would fade away soon and the knot on my head would be nonexistent by tomorrow morning.

"Jasper told me he saw you out here last night," Edward said.

"Yes."

He stopped then, and looked down at me, a quizzical expression transforming his features. "What were you doing?"

I shrugged, too entranced with looking into his eyes. "I live with the Black family. Sometimes it's nice to get away and walk for a little while. I like the woods."

He hummed quietly, studying my face. "Jasper said that you were lost."

"I was," I admitted softly. "He was very helpful in getting me back to my car."

"Is your car on the main road now?"

That was a question I hadn't been planning for, but the sheer exhaustion I felt made me forget the consequences of this one mishap. "No. I walked here."

His eyes widened minutely, the golden flecks in his irises brightening. "That's a long way to walk, Miss Rigas."

The smile had faded from my lips and suddenly I was hit with the reason for why I was out here in the first place. I had asked for help and Edward had found me. Yet, even here in his arms, I couldn't tell him the truth, because even I didn't know what it was. A watery sheen clouded my sight, but I refused to let the tears fall down my cheeks. "I know," I whispered.

He looked down then, guilt masking his face. "I can only take you so far and then I can call for someone to get you."

"No," I whispered, my fingers curling around the fabric of his shirt. "I'll be fine in a little while."

His grip tightened around me protectively. "I'm not comfortable with leaving you alone."

I sighed, memorizing the contours of his face. "I won't be."

He swallowed heavily and looked forward. When we started moving again, I wasn't sure, but eventually I took notice of the moon darting in and out of the canopy above us.

"You haven't asked me why I can't take you the whole way," he murmured. There was a flash of hope in his eyes, so brief and so fleeting that it made my heart pound violently between us. And then it was gone.

"It's not important," I whispered. My lids began to fall close as exhaustion took its toll on my body, yet I fought to keep them open.

"You should try to rest," he offered. "I'll wake you when we're there."

"I'm fine." _I don't want to lose you. _I could never close my eyes now, not with his presence so close to me.

The rest of the walk was quiet. Edward stared solemnly ahead of him and every so often I would catch him looking down at me from the corner of his eye. I loathed the moment we parted.

"We're here," he finally said.

I lifted my head from his shoulder, sensing the border that he could not cross. My hands gripped him more tightly. _Don't let me go._

He slowly released me, keeping one hand on the small of my back to support me should I begin to waver.

"Will you be okay?" he asked, his voice uncertain.

I nodded, unwilling to let go of him, but reluctantly doing so. "Yes. Thank you, Edward."

He let his hand drop to his side. "Will you let me call someone to meet you?"

Smiling had been such a foreign thing to me lately, but around him, it was familiar, comfortable. "No," I grinned. "Trust me, I'll be fine and more than ready to beat you on our next project in class tomorrow."

The corner of his mouth turned up in the crooked grin that made my heart race. "We'll see."

Chuckling lightly, I turned to leave but stopped. "Edward… can I ask you a question?"

When he didn't reply, I spun around to look at him more fully. "What was she like?"

His brows drew together tightly, confused. "Who?"

"The girl you lost. The one that you said I reminded you of?"

Had there been color to his face, it would have drained away. It was as if a deep emotional pain overcame him in that moment. "She… was everything."

His eyes locked onto mine and I could no longer breathe.

"I left her because I thought I was protecting her. Now, I see my mistake. I've lost her and I will never forgive myself for that. I was so rude to you in the beginning because you remind me of her in so many ways, and I apologize again for my behavior."

He grew quiet and I shook my head at his incessant atoning. It was I who should be apologizing to him, not the other way around.

"Do you still love her?" It was a question that barely escaped my lips.

My heartbeat overruled the silence that tried to engulf the air between us as I waited for his answer.

"Yes… but I don't think she'll ever love me again."

As soon as he directed his attention to the ferns that littered the ground, I released the tears that I kept hidden ever since he found me. Slowly, I began to walk backwards, my feet crossing the imaginary line that separated us.

And as the wind blew through the trees, I breathed a whisper so faint, yet so full of truth that as soon as the words left my lips, I turned my back on the one man my heart truly belonged to.

"She still does."


	20. Ch 17: It's A Date

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing in this story except for my own little plot line and any characters you may not recognize. Everything else is property of the genius Stephenie Meyer.

**A/N: **MY BETA, **TWI-CTION**, IS AMAZING. THAT IS ALL.

Also... HUGE thanks again to everyone who reviewed and favorited this story, etc., because you all rock. Srsly. We're getting down to a major turning point in the story (woot) so get excited, folks! Another short message is awaiting you at the end. ;)

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**Edward's POV:**

"_Bella, I don't want you to come with me." _

_The warmth in her chocolate depths drained to a mute taupe as the words sunk into her brain, rolling over the two hemispheres, unwilling to be absorbed. I could see the denial in the flickering lights in her eyes, quickly blowing out. _

"_You don't want me?" She spoke slowly, merely a whisper, yet such soft murmurs struck my dead heart violently. _

_I couldn't say this to her. I didn't want to say it to her. But I felt the false coldness sweep over my eyes, the muscles in my face growing ridged as my jaws automatically clenched. How I hated myself. "No."_

The moon was high in the midnight blanket of stars. I watched them, feeling as if I were the only one to exist. Was Bella looking up at these same stars? Did she even want to remember who I was?

I could still hear her pleas in the woods the day I left her there… alone.

"Edward."

Turning from the window in our living room, I took in the worried expression on Alice's face as she stood behind the couch, her small hands clasped tightly in each other.

"It's time."

I nodded and reluctantly pulled myself away from the lapis night masterpiece that painted the sky.

The volume increased on the swirling thoughts in my mind as I followed Alice into the kitchen where the rest of our family stood, arms crossed.

Silence permeated the room and though their eyes were not on me, I could almost see the pointed glares in their thoughts.

"Edward."

It was Carlisle who spoke, his calming voice that broke the solemn hush that fell over us. He looked up at me, his wise gaze studying my face.

"Start from the beginning. Why don't you tell us what happened tonight."

My fists clenched by my sides but I stared at my father, my creator, and I told him the truth. "I was just out walking… thinking… and Marie's scent came to me. I followed it, my intention purely to see what she was doing as it would have been the second time, that we know of, where she was out wandering in the woods." My eyes slid over to Jasper, whose gaze was directed out the window. "I could hear her heartbeat," I whispered, my voice pained. "She was distressed, crying… And then I heard her call out for help. She fell just as I was near enough to respond to her and she hit her head on a log."

Jasper turned sharply toward me and I held his gaze for what felt like several minutes before he cast his eyes downward.

"I went to see if she was okay and when she looked up at me, she just kept…" I swallowed, feeling my stomach curl and drop at a sickening speed. "She kept repeating my name, touching my face…"

Alice put a comforting hand on my arm.

"I carried her back to the border. We barely talked but when I had asked her how she had found herself so far out in the woods, she said that she had walked here… from the Blacks' home."

Emmett furrowed his brow, his thoughts loud in my head. _Dude, how in the hell did she walk that far? It's not an easy thing to do for a human. Or a normal one anyway. Maybe she's on drugs…_

Switching my focus elsewhere, I continued with my story. "The first day I met her, I told her why she made me so tense around her. And before I left her tonight… she had asked me about Bella."

"You told her specifically about Bella?" Esme questioned, her eyes concerned.

I shook my head. "No, not specifically but she wanted to know what the girl I left behind was like. She wanted to know if I still loved her."

"What did you say?" Emmett asked.

Alice's small fingers squeezed my arm reassuringly and I inhaled deeply, needing that motion to continue.

"I said 'yes,' but that I wasn't sure if she even loved me anymore."

A soft murmur came from the back of Jasper's throat and he looked up at me, a strange expression masking his face. It made him seem vulnerable – something that Jasper was definitely not. A feeling of unease washed over me then.

"What did she tell you?" he asked.

I swallowed; knowing that if my heart could beat it would have burst through my chest. "She was walking away from me when she said, 'she still does.'"

Their eyes widened, even Alice's. "I didn't see that," she whispered, her face screwing up in irritation. "I barely even saw you going to her."

"I can't hear her thoughts," I admitted even though it was something they already knew. I felt the need to just formulate words of some kind, anything to sort out the insanity around me.

Carlisle ran a tired hand over his face, thinking. "There's something that you all need to know."

Everyone turned to him, waiting for his response. His mind had become silent to me, making me even more anxious.

"I received another message from Aro today," he announced. "He expects us to make our decision soon. If we are going to find out anything about Marie, it needs to happen now."

I nodded, feeling my nerves fray into shredded fibers. "What should we do?"

"Confront her," Rosalie demanded, her gaze sharp as she stared at me. She pushed herself away from the island in the center of the kitchen, her heels clinking loudly against the tile. "We don't have time to waste, Edward. If she's a threat to us, we need to know."

"She's merely human, Rose," Jasper sighed. "What harm could she be?"

Rosalie threw him a deadly glare, her nostrils flaring. "I don't think I need to remind you all of the reason we're here, or the reason our brother, despite his immortality, is acting half alive, do I?"

"Rose." Emmett put a hand on her shoulder, his voice warning. When she turned on him, her wrath in flames, he issued a chilling growl from deep within his chest. "_Enough_."

She looked to the floor quickly, lips pursed in anger.

A flicker of a house flashed before my mind and I turned to Alice, noting the glazed look in her eyes. "Whose house is that, Alice?"

After a moment she blinked, seemingly recovering from her vision. "Lauren's party," she said suddenly. "You and I need to go to Lauren's party."

"Now, I know you may want to get away Al, but come on… at least invite the one who can outdo anyone with a keg stand!" Emmett whined, at which point Rosalie loudly smacked his chest.

"You wouldn't be able to drink beer and you know it," she hissed. "You'd just throw it up."

"So," Emmett shrugged. "That's what you do at parties. You throw up."

Alice rolled her eyes and turned back to me, crossing her arms around her petite frame. "You ask Marie to go with us. I'll bring Jasper with me, too, since she's already met him. It might not be the most ideal situation, but she'll feel more comfortable around us there than inviting her here. I know she'll say yes, Edward. That much I can see."

While I disliked the idea greatly and wanted to argue with her on it further, I kept my mouth shut. Her plan did seem to be far better than anything else we had come up with – which was nothing. "Alright, I'll ask her in class but just for the record, Alice… I don't like this."

She smirked and gently nudged me with her arm. "Yes you do."

Clearing his throat, Carlisle walked toward the center of the lopsided circle we had created, his face serious. "What should I tell Aro?"

We were quiet once more, unsure of what to say and afraid that our decision would be the wrong one. From their thoughts, I could tell that Rosalie and Esme were against going to Volterra, but Carlisle and Emmett seemed to be in favor. Emmett merely wanted to have the chance to throw a punch at one of the Volturi guards.

And Alice was indifferent to the situation as she stood beside me, her touch still comforting. But it was Jasper who I still had yet to read.

He moved closer toward Carlisle, his amber eyes crossing over every one of us. "We should go." His gaze locked with Carlisle's, matching the understanding in his eyes. "You know that Aro won't accept a refusal. I don't want to jeopardize our family because of his selfishness."

After a moment, Carlisle nodded. "You're right, but I need this to be a family decision." He wrapped his arm around Esme's shoulders and squeezed. "Would everyone be willing to take the risk of going to Volterra… or would you rather take the risk of staying here and awaiting our punishment?"

Esme placed a hand on his chest, turning her face up to him, her eyes warm and soft. "Let's go," she murmured.

He kissed her forehead before taking a deep breath, his thoughts centered on the revulsion he had for the Volturi. "Then that's settled. I'll go ahead and write a reply to Aro tonight and Edward… I want you to focus on getting Marie to that party. The three of you need to find out whatever you can on her and don't forget – " he warned, his eyes penetrating with his words. " – if she is something of a threat to us, she will know about us. After all, she is staying with the wolves and will undoubtedly know about them as well."

I nodded, unwilling and unable to say 'no.'"

Things used to seem so certain in my existence. But now… I couldn't be sure about anything.

~*~*~*~

**Bella's POV:**

_Flames danced along the walls of darkness, surrounding me. I could hear footsteps just ahead but was unable to see their source. A girlish laugh drifted into my ears, pulsing in the air. _

"_Just a little further," the chilling voice called. "Follow me." _

_Fear crawled through my limbs like ants racing beneath my skin – pricking, biting. _

_The shrill laugh was humorless, bouncing off of the walls and striking me in the chest. I couldn't tell where I was. The walls on either side of me seemed molded, like from clay or mud. I wanted to take one of the torches that decorated the filth so that I could feel the heat near my skin and light the path ahead of me. _

_But I couldn't lift my arm. _

"_Here we are," the voice said. _

_There was light, a sliver coming through a crack in a door. I stood before it, wanting to open it and yet knowing that I shouldn't. My heart pounded in my head; my blood aching to burst free. _

"_Open it," came a whisper by my ear. "You know you want to." _

_Breath shaking, creating erratic clouds of fog before me, I leaned against the hard wood and pushed. _

_Hisses filled the air and I watched, horrified, as more than a thousand vampires turned their blood-red eyes on me. I was standing in the doorway of some underground amphitheatre and every single undead being in the room sat there… watching me… thirsty. _

_I took a step back. "N-No… I don't want to be here." _

"_Bella." _

_My heart stopped at the sound – such a familiar tune. Edward had said my name. My eyes searched the crowd frantically, trying to find him. _

"_Bella, I love you." _

_I stepped forward, feet stumbling as I entered this dungeon, this hell, even further. And there he was… kneeling before the crowd, his eyes closed, pale hands wrapped around his face. _

"_Edward…" I breathed, terrified of what I was seeing. Another vampire stood behind him, his face masked in the darkness, but I could see with perfect clarity the moment he cracked the marble of Edward's flesh. _

_A sickening scream filled my head and it wasn't until I saw the first tear in his neck, pulling his head from his body, that I realized the piercing sound was coming from me. _

_Darkness crashed down on me and I felt as if I was being thrown into a black chasm. I hit something hard and felt around with my hands, desperate. There was coolness beneath my fingers, soft waxy feathers… I opened my eyes and found myself in a forest, mammoth ink-stained trees surrounding me. _

"_Edward…" I whimpered, pushing myself up. "Ed-Edward… Edward!" _

"_He's not here." _

_Gasping, I turned around to face the ghostly image of Lukas. His cold eyes were like ice, staring through me, around me. Blood stained his clothes, dripping from his hands like paint splattering the ground. "Come find me." _

_And then he was gone. _

"_Wait!" I called out, running after him, tripping along the underbrush of the woods. "Wait, come back!"_

_Twigs snapped behind me, leaves rustling against each other… someone running. I turned around, eyes wild and searching. _

_Jacob ran out from the woods, his bare chest bruised with black stains. He was out of breath, falling to his knees. "Bella…" _

"_Jake!" I ran to him, catching him in my arms before he collapsed fully on the ground. "Jake, what happened?" _

"_They're everywhere," he mumbled, his chest heaving to find oxygen. "Everywhere, Bella…"_

"_Who, Jacob?" _

"_They… they…" He coughed suddenly and blood spewed from his mouth, splattering against my chin. _

_I shut my eyes and jerked as the hot liquid clung to me. Silently, I told myself to not breath in, to not take in the acidic, coppery smell. _Open your eyes, Bella_, I told myself. _

_Jacob was still in my arms, his eyes open, staring up at the raven, nightmare sky._

"_Jacob," I muttered, the breath leaving my lips unwillingly. "Jacob." I shook him and watched as his head rolled heavily from side to side with my movements. "Jacob!" Still, he didn't answer me. His eyes were like stone. "Jacob! Jacob, look at me! Please!" Tears, hot and thick, slid down my face. "Jacob!" _

"Bella!"

I shot up in my bed, sheets tangled around my sweat-soaked legs. Verrin was sitting in front of me, her hands grabbing mine as I fought with her, still cloaked by my dream. "Jacob!"

"Bella, you're okay!" she cried.

I stilled my arms, fingers still clutched around her hands, as I stared at her. "Where's Jacob?" My chest heaved uncontrollably as the breath stirred wisps of my hair around my lips. "Where is he?"

Verrin stared at me in shock, confusion… "He's still asleep."

Jumping out of bed, I ran for our door, not stopping when I heard her call out my name. I mumbled his name repeatedly, my feet racing down a small hall. Alex and Damian opened their door, which was near our own room.

"Bella, what's wrong?" Alex asked as I sped past him, not bothering to answer.

Past the kitchen, I ran, until I was on the opposite side of the Blacks' small home, bursting into Jacob's room.

"Jacob," I whimpered, crazed as I stood in the darkness of his room. He was just getting out of bed, his sleep-laden eyes shining in the shadows.

"Bella," he whispered. "What's wrong? I could hear you from the other side of the house."

"Oh thank God," I choked out, throwing my arms around his neck. "I thought… I thought…"

"Shh…" His hands rubbed my back in soothing circles, spreading warmth deep within my flesh. "What happened?"

I backed away just enough to see his face. "I had a dream… you were in my arms and you were hurt…" I sniffed, feeling a lump form in my throat. I needed to make sure that he was okay and though my terror may have seemed directed only for him, I was also severely afraid that something had happened to Edward. "You just... you died, Jake. You wouldn't move! You wouldn't talk to me!" Tears streamed down my cheeks, as I felt mucous puddle in my nose. "You just... you…"

"All right… it's okay," he murmured, placing his hands on either side of my face. His thumbs gently wiped away the tears. "I'm okay, Bella. It was just a bad dream. That's all."

I threw myself at him again, squeezing him with all the strength that I had.

"Oomph… Bells," he grunted, trying to pry my arms away from him. "You're a lot stronger than you used to be."

"Oh, I'm sorry," I whined, reluctantly pulling away from him.

We stood there in the darkness for a few moments, him not speaking and me sniffling from time to time.

"I'm sorry, Jake," I sighed. "I didn't mean to freak you out. I'll go back to my room."

Slowly, I turned around, intent on leaving him and feeling uneasy about doing so, but he stopped me, his hand wrapping around my wrist.

"Don't go," he whispered, his voice pained. "Bella, don't go."

I looked up at him, unsure, as he began to pull me back to his bed.

Jacob lifted the covers and crawled in, scooting over to allow me to join him. "Just stay with me. Please."

It was like a magnet pulled me to him. The action was so easy, so familiar, that I let my body do what it willed. Crawling in beside of him, he threw the covers over both of us as I nestled in against his warm chest. My lingering tears stained his skin with salty liquid and he threw his arms around me, holding me close as I slipped back into my world of dreams, running through onyx woods in search a golden-eyed vampire.

~*~*~

"Bella," a soothing voice murmured above me. I felt a light pressure stroking my cheek – there was warmth. "Bella, wake up."

I moaned and stirred slightly, curling my knees up further until I heard a sound that may have been 'fuck.'

Blinking my eyes open, I saw Jake before me, his eyes squeezed shut, as his cheeks puffed out like a blowfish. "Jake?" I asked, confused as I pushed myself up to lean on one elbow.

A stream of hot air blew from his lips as he began to relax, his breath heavy. "Does kneeing me in the balls sound like 'good morning' to you?" His eyes were incredulous, but a forgiving smile played at his lips.

My eyes widened. "Oh God… I… I didn't mean to! I'm so sorry!"

He laughed then, his voice cracking at a high pitch. "That's the last time I ask you to sleep with me."

I smirked and slapped him on the shoulder. "Jerk."

"Oh, so I'm the jerk?" he chuckled.

I nodded, mock confidence written across my face. "Yes."

He merely rolled his eyes as he threw off the covers. "Sure, sure."

Still grinning, I sat up and stretched my arms above my head as a yawn was expelled into the air.

Jacob climbed over me and immediately dropped to the floor beside of his bed as he began doing push ups, as if to prove to me that I hadn't just wounded his ego – literally.

"Loser," I muttered, my voice joking as I looked down at him, one leg hanging over the bed.

He chuckled. "Well, I was going to make you breakfast this morning, but I'll think that over now."

"Oh?"

"Waffles to be exact," he breathed, turning himself over to look up at me.

"Good thing you won't be, because you'll only burn them." I shriveled my nose up in disgust and he swatted at my calf.

"Lucky for you, they're Eggos."

I patted my stomach as I licked my lips teasingly. "Mmm… microwavable fluff. I like it."

"Shut up, Bells."

The morning passed by easily, which I was glad for. Though Jacob was fine, I had no way of knowing if Edward was. So, the fake cheer that had come so easily to me in the absence of the Cullens, masked my features that morning. Embry and Quil came over to meet with Jacob and stayed with us for breakfast. Jacob did make me Eggos, to which I ate. But eventually, I decided that squirting him with syrup was more entertaining, if not fun. His friends laughed at our antics and Embry made the mistake of asking me if I was five. I told him I'd like to be… and then I squirted him too. It was the first stress-free moment I had all week. We only temporarily stopped messing around when Billy grunted a 'good morning' to us as he wheeled his way in to make himself a plate of breakfast. As soon as he left, the insanity began again. Even Alex and Damian had come in briefly and while Alex seemed to be amused by the scene that unfolded, Damian merely glared and gingerly touched the spot on his stomach where I had wounded him the day before. Eventually, they both parted as Verrin ran in to join our fun.

"Where're Gabriel and Catherine?" I asked, not hiding the distaste in my voice as the two of us walked back to our room.

Verrin shrugged and immediately started going through our closet for an outfit for me to wear. I cleared my throat and held up a black hoodie and a pair of jeans I had worn already.

"Ugh" she groaned. "Why must you dress like a slob?"

"I'm not a slob," I insisted, frowning. "I just choose to be different."

"Bland is more like it."

"You haven't answered my question," I rounded, trying to change the subject as I shrugged out of my pajamas.

She sighed and plopped down on the makeshift bed that Jacob put up for her when she first got there – but really, it was just an air mattress.

"Honestly, I don't know. They're probably out walking somewhere."

"And you don't find that strange?" I asked, arching an eyebrow as I looked at her pointedly. "It's not like last night was a picnic between all of us."

Verrin ran a tired hand through the dark ebony locks of her hair. "I don't know, Bella. Did you read my journal?"

"Yes," I admitted as I pulled the dark sweater over my head. "I read a few of the entries last night."

"And do you have anything to ask me?"

During our conversation, I had transformed into my "Marie look" and had taken a brush to the sunshine blonde hair. I thought back to the entries I had read last night, most of which were of her confusion from after being changed, but she had mentioned a few key words that made me wonder…

"You wrote a lot about 'secret prophecies' but you never really went in depth on the subject. What do you mean by that?" I asked, putting down the brush to look at her.

A small grin tugged at the corners of her lips as she stared up at me. "That is something that you should talk to Gabriel about. I'm not the person to explain it properly."

"Oh come on," I whined, feeling like the child Embry accused me of earlier. "I've already talked to him… and hit him! Doesn't that count for something?"

Laughter escaped her lips as she pushed herself up. "Well, life isn't exactly fair, Bella. So no, it doesn't. Now, you need to hurry it up and get to school."

"I hate you," I grumbled, a pout forming my lips.

She opened the door and leaned against it, her violet eyes laughing. "I know."

Shaking my head, I went over to the small nightstand beside of my bed and plucked up the two folded letters that lay there. "Here." I shoved them into her chest and she grabbed at them in surprise. "They're letters to Renee and Charlie. Will you send them out for me?"

Sadness washed over Verrin's features, her smile slipping away. "Sure I will."

I bent over to pick up my bag and turned to her, forcing my own smile to my lips. "Thanks."

~*~*~

Driving felt like some kind of release as I rolled the window down, letting the cool air of Forks wash over my face, blow through my hair. I tried to breathe, tried to fill my lungs with the chilled air that engulfed my skin. My focus was off, eyes staring straight ahead. Though there were trees, rows of green on either side, I could see their leaves change shape, molding into the nightmarish portrait that haunted my mind. If I stared long enough, let myself go, I could almost see Edward's face cracking like stone. Gravel flew up beneath the tires as the car steadily glided off the road. I turned the wheel sharply, gasping as warm liquid slid down my cheeks. The lingering fear from my nightmare hung in the atmosphere around me, waiting for me to let it consume me once more. I wiped the tears from my cheeks hastily with the back of my hand as I felt a chill run down my spine, weaving through the vertebrae as it sank into the fragile nerve endings.

The icy cold was still there, tingling beneath my skin as I turned into the parking lot of Forks High School. The Audi maneuvered easily around the passing students, still laden with sleep. I craned my neck, searching for a spot near the back of the lot in hopes of attracting less attention. There were hardly any students milling around in the far end of the lot and I took that as the perfect place to park.

"Bella."

I jumped at the sound of a ghostly voice, hissing my name. His body was transparent as he, Lukas, stood before my car. His eyes were as gray as ash – as dead as rotting flesh. A scream left my lips, echoing throughout the small vehicle as I slammed on my breaks and turned the wheel sharply to the right. The tires beneath me jerked, causing the car to skid across the pavement, but only momentarily.

The only sound I heard was the erratic breath that left my lips as my hands still gripped the wheel. That was the second time Lukas had appeared and disappeared just as quickly before me while I was in the car. I remembered Gabriel's theory that he was trying to get me to find the manuscript, but I simply couldn't understand why Lukas would get my attention in this way.

"Oh God," I whimpered, looking around me frantically to make sure no one was in the way while I had lost control. I struggled to get my seatbelt unbuckled. From the side mirror I could see smoke billowing from the burned rubber on the tires.

My hands shook so badly that I could hardly function. First the nightmare, now this… I could feel the tears in my eyes turn to shaking tremors beneath my skin.

A loud click came from my left and I screamed again, turning to the window.

"Marie, are you okay?"

It was Edward.

Edward. _He was okay_.

He tried opening the door again and failed when we both noticed that it was locked. I had about enough strength in me to push the 'unlock' button before he had opened it and his face was inches before mine.

"Marie," he murmured, hands gently touching my arms. I jumped at the feel of his soft pressure, but felt my hands grabbing for him anyway. My fingers wrapped around his wrists. His brow knit together in concern as he took in my startled face. "What happened?"

I shook my head in a jerking manner, unsure of what to say or even _how_ to say it. My mouth opened, but there were no words. It felt like my tongue was trying to expel my thoughts free for him to hear, but it wouldn't work right. All I could do is slide my fingers to his cheeks, letting my sense of touch memorize the way he felt beneath my hands. _He's okay_.

"Move," came a musical voice from behind him.

My fingers moved back to his wrists, digging into his flesh further, unwilling to let him go, and he winced slightly before gently removing my hands. I gasped, watching his beautiful presence be replaced by the graceful pixie that was his sister.

"Marie, my name is Alice," she told me quietly, her amber eyes moving quickly over my face. "Are you okay? Can you talk to me?"

It seemed like ages since I had seen her face so vividly; her small pointed nose, the slight curve of her high cheekbones, the way the corners of her lips drew upward just slightly as if she was made to always smile and fill you with warmth. Verrin may have tried to imitate her, but she was hardly a spark next to the vibrant flame before me. Another layer of tears pooled in my eyes and I reached out to her, one hand grabbing her cold fingers.

Swallowing, I tried out her name. "Al… Alice?"

It was barely audible… and yet she froze. Our eyes connected and I wanted her to know so badly what was going on. Everything that I wanted to tell her, to tell Edward, raced through my mind, speeding past like that of a movie reel spinning through a metal wheel.

I couldn't be sure… but it was as if she _knew_. It felt like whatever connection passed through us in that instant had allowed her to see what had happened in my life since they had left me.

Her eyes widened infinitesimally and her full lips formed a silent 'O.'

I felt her fingers grip mine tightly and I hoped with everything in me that she wouldn't allow her thoughts to be read by Edward.

Her surprised features relaxed to draw less attention from her brother and I felt her small hand reach up to push the tresses of hair out of my face, fussing with the blonde strands. "Come on, Marie," she whispered. "Let's get you out."

She pulled me into her arms, cradling me as I stumbled out of the car. It was the first time that I had felt truly human since I had changed, and I welcomed it.

"Edward," she called over my shoulder as she rubbed my back soothingly. "Can you move Marie's car please? We'll meet you at the front of the school."

"M-My bag," I stuttered, following beside of her.

She turned her head slightly in the direction of Edward, who was now parking the Audi in a swiftly fluid motion, and then looked at me, her innocent eyes bright. "Edward will get it for you."

I nodded and leant more into her side, allowing her arm to snake through mine. Her face told me nothing as we walked to the front double doors of the school and I had never wanted a moment without Edward so badly just so I could talk with Alice alone.

As I expected him to be, Edward was behind us as soon as we stopped at the doors.

"Here," he said, handing me my book bag. "You might need that." His eyes were laced with concern but a small smiled slipped across his face and I wanted to laugh, and cry, and throw my arms around him in return. Instead, I took my bag from him with a small "thank you" and followed the two of them into the school.

Students ran left and right, lockers slammed, and the chatter of a thousand voices rang in my head. I shut my eyes, wishing that I were anywhere but here.

"Where's your first class, Marie?" Alice asked me softly, her arm still linked through mine.

I blinked, trying to recall something as simple as my schedule. Edward moved closer to my other side, adjusting his own books under his arm. I hadn't even noticed that he had them. "Um… English with Coach Miles."

"I'll walk you there," Alice suggested, a pleasant expression painted over her sprite features. "Come on."

We began to walk down the hall, Edward behind us, and I took notice of the students parting in our wake. Whispers danced in the air, intermingling with their quiet words of gossip. I hated it – being the center of attention.

Eventually, Edward had to leave us to head off to his own class but promised to see me in Anatomy that afternoon. It took everything in me to turn around from watching him go.

"Will you be okay?" Alice asked me as we stopped in front of Coach Miles' class. A burly man stood behind his desk just inside, his face stern as he stacked papers loudly upon the hard wood.

I shook my head, feeling ridiculous for my behavior. "Yeah, Alice. I'll be fine. Thank you… really… for just… everything."

She smiled knowingly and squeezed my hand. "See you."

The bell rang loudly overhead and I winced at the sound, shutting my eyes only briefly. When I opened them, Alice was already halfway down the hall, a skip in her step.

Fifty-minute class periods always seemed like three hours apiece, and I passed the morning by slowly, feeling agitated and wanting to see Alice and Edward again with each passing tick of the clock. Angela was all warm eyes and bright smiles when I saw her in my second period class and she gave me a copy of the notes that I had missed from the day before.

"Were you okay this morning?" she asked me quietly as we were working on an in-class assignment. "We heard your tires squeal in the parking lot."

"Ugh," I groaned, wishing that the world would just swallow me whole. Yet strangely enough, I felt as if it already had. "Yeah, I'm fine. A squirrel ran out in front of me, I think. I just didn't want to hit it, you know?" It was the most ridiculous excuse but I couldn't think of anything else. Edward had always told me that I was a bad liar.

"I completely understand," Angela said, running a hand through her coffee bean colored waves. "The first week I learned how to drive, I hit a bunny. A bunny! I was so sick to my stomach afterward and now I freak out anytime there's an animal even close to the road. So, don't worry," she reiterated, placing a comforting hand on my arm. "I definitely get you."

And for a moment, I believed my life could have been normal. There were no werewolves, no vampires, and certainly no immortal guardians of any kind. I was merely a simple, brown-eyed girl sitting in her World History class and worrying over nothing more than a pop quiz. Smiling, I allowed a soft chuckle to escape my lips, and nodded. "Thanks, Ang."

Our teacher walked by, her eyes peering curiously at us, and Angela ducked her head before whispering, "Just to warn you, Jessica and Lauren may decide to bring this morning up at lunch. But I've got your back."

Again, I found myself shaking my head and smiling back at her. "You're a great friend, you know that?"

"Thank you." She perked up at that, her brown eyes sparkling behind her glasses. "So are you."

Someone cleared their throat loudly above us and we both shrank into our seats beneath the penetrating glare of our teacher. "No talking," she demanded, her voice dropping an octave just to utter the words.

As soon as her back was to us, we both smirked and continued our work in silence.

When lunch finally came around, I felt my nerves begin to tingle with anticipation, already feeling the air tremble and spark the closer I got to Edward. Angela met me after my fourth period class and together we walked to the cafeteria.

The usual group of our friends sat near a table in the back, but my eyes skimmed over their heads in search of two particular Cullens. To my surprise, and dismay, neither of them was around.

"Hey Marie!"

I turned my attention to an overly enthusiastic Mike, who stood up for me as I walked over to take my seat. With his summer bangs just skimming the tops of his bright eyes, he truly did look like a golden retriever. And at that thought, my lips turned up into a grin. "Mike… how's it going?"

"Good, good," he said, his voice excited. "We missed you yesterday."

A snort came from the end of the table and I looked down to see Lauren rolling her eyes as she poured dressing over her salad. "Says you," she mumbled.

"What was that?" I asked, my voice rising deliberately.

She looked at me suddenly; eyes wide, and then shook her head, plastering a fake smile on her lips. "Nothing. So, tell us what happened this morning, Marie. Something go wrong with your car? We saw you walk in with Alice and Edward. They like… never talk to anyone."

"Yeah, you like totally freaked out," Jessica commented before taking a bite from her celery. The crispy crunch of the vegetable unnerved me somehow.

"Um yeah, I totally just… you know, flipped a shit," I said, the mock tone of my voice evident as I could barely keep my frustration down any longer. Angela grinned behind her apple.

Digging through the packed lunch that Jake had made me – he insisted – I pulled out a double-layered ham and cheese sandwich and a bag of sour cream and onion potato chips. There was even a note inside that said in untidy scrawl,

"_You need to eat more, Rigas. _

_I so can't hang out with a twig. _

_(You know I'm just kidding. Please don't throw me into a tree the next time you see me!)_

_Love ya, _

_Jake." _

An earsplitting grin stretched across my lips and I rolled my eyes. I could always count on Jake to give a little perk to my day, no matter how frightening or horrible it turned out to be. Mike peered over my lunch in his attempt to see the small, torn piece of paper in my hands. "Yeah," I said absently to Lauren. "Squirrel ran out in front of me…"

Even though the event from this morning still loomed in the back of my mind, like a spider silently waiting for his prey to just make that _one_ move, I pushed it aside and tried to focus on lighter tasks.

I grabbed my sandwich, unable to mistake the look of disgust on Lauren's face, and paused to put a layer of chips between the bread and cheese. Just because.

She made a slight vomiting motion as I stuffed it into my mouth, nodding my head in approval of the taste. Angela shook beside me in quiet laughter. Maybe it was the way my day had started off, but I felt the strong urge to bite back at Lauren, regardless of whether or not it was really worth it. "And yeah," I mumbled around mouthfuls of food. "I did walk back with Edward and Alice. Maybe they talk to me because I don't have a stick shoved up my ass. Now, is there anything else you want to ask me or can I eat my lunch in peace?"

Jessica actually snorted in amusement, making her choke on her food and Eric, who had been taking the entire moment in with unbelieving eyes, patted her back as she began coughing.

Lauren scoffed, flipping her bottled-blonde hair over her shoulder, clearly not happy with my retort. "Well, I was going to ask you to my party tonight but now…"

"Yeah Marie, are you going to go?" Mike asked, his voice hopeful as he interrupted her. He hardly noticed her sharpened glare. "Because if you don't have anyone to go with…"

"Marie?"

Still chewing, I turned to the sound of a new voice entering our little bubble, and my eyes were met with the lower half of a black shirt. Moving my gaze upward, I found myself staring into the tawny depths of Edward Cullen.

"Hi," I stammered, surprised by his presence. My heart pulsed loudly against my ribcage and I knew he could hear it.

He smirked.

"I realize you're still eating, but would you mind walking to class with me? I'd like to talk with you if that's okay."

I stared at him dumbly for a moment before quickly shoving my lunch back into the brown paper bag, appetite forgotten. "Yeah, sure."

Angela winked at me as I stood up to leave and followed him around the table.

Before we left, Edward came over to Lauren's end of the table, a glint in his eyes and I knew then that this was a moment to not miss. "Lauren," he murmured. She looked up at him in a daze and I had to struggle to stifle my laughter. "Are we invited to your party? Alice and myself?"

She nodded her head quickly. "Of course! Are you bringing someone with you?"

He smiled at her affectionately and stood up, reaching out to gently guide me away with him. "Yes, I will be. Thank you."

My eyes widened, as I looked at him in sheer panic. _Does he mean _me_? _

Shit.

There was hardly anyone in the hall as we slowly walked side by side and I didn't know what to say or how to approach what had just happened. Though I knew he felt something between us and my irrational emotions made me cling to him like a lost soul, I knew that this would be different. This was a date. How in the hell was I going to control myself around him?

"You seem to be doing better," Edward commented, completely ignoring the obvious.

I rolled my eyes, crinkling my lunch bag tightly in my fist. "Obviously, you don't read people as well as you think." The words spilled from my mouth before I could stop them and he looked down at me with an odd, almost accusatory, expression.

"What I mean to say," I backpedaled. "Is that I'm faking it." A large gust of air expelled from my lips and my chest ached with the increased fear that I tried to keep hidden all day. The spider had finally lunged, and won. "If I fool everyone else into thinking I'm okay then maybe I can fool myself. Stupid as that sounds."

"It's not stupid," he whispered, his eyes sincere as I looked up at him. "Do you mind telling me what happened?"

I didn't want to have this conversation, but we had already reached the door to Mr. Banner's class and whether we went in or not, I was stuck with him. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you," I muttered, knowing full well he would have believed me.

"Try me."

I felt antsy and scratched at my head nervously. "I just don't want to talk about it right now, Edward."

He frowned and cast his gaze to the floor, but nodded in understanding. I wanted to kick myself for just writing him off like that. More than anything, I felt the overwhelming urge to place my hands on his face and just press his lips to mine. If anything could make me forget about the insanity that was my life, it would be that.

"I'll tell you one day," I said and he looked up at me, his ocher eyes hopeful. "I promise. One day, I'll tell you _everything_." And I meant it. My words held a deeper meaning than just merely explaining this morning, and it seemed as if he knew that.

"That's all I ask," he said, his crimson stained lips curving up into a crooked smile. My knees nearly gave out beneath me as he swept past me to enter the room, taking a seat at our desk. His gaze was amused as he watched me. "Coming in or staying out?"

I blinked. "Coming in," I muttered, letting loose a small chuckle which hopefully masked my anxiety. A butterfly of nerves flew in my stomach as I sat down beside of him, his scent and presence so close to me now.

"I'm sorry again for interrupting your lunch." He leant back in his chair, running a lazy hand through the tattered bronze waves of his hair. "You should finish eating. We've still got ten minutes before class."

I shook my head, knowing full well those ten minutes would be spent with him watching me eat. I didn't feel like being put under the microscope to be further analyzed. "No, that's okay. I'm not really that hungry anymore."

He watched me closely as if reading the truth about everything clearly written in my eyes. But after a few minutes, I tensed and turned away. Pulling out my book, I flipped it open to the chapter we were supposed to read for homework and let my attention linger on the scientific terms. Edward opened his book as well but I knew his eyes were constantly straying in my direction.

Class had come and gone in a matter of time that rivaled the lengthy idleness of my previous classes. I breathed out a sigh of irritation as I watched Edward stand beside of me.

Normally, I would have expected him to race out the door, but this time his movements were slow – meticulous.

I watched him curiously as he cleared his throat, tugging his books beneath his arm. "Is ten a good time?"

I must have stared at him blankly because he raised an eyebrow in question. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Ten. For the party tonight."

So, it _was_ a date.

"Um… yeah, that's fine. Do you want me to meet you there or…"

"You can come to my house." He quickly tore off a sheet of paper from my notebook and wrote down the directions, handing them to me. "Alice and my brother Jasper will be going. You remember him right?"

Well, this was certainly a turn of events if Jasper would be there. I took the tethered sheet decorated with his cursive. "Sure I do."

He nodded and I watched in annoyance as the creases in his forehead began to form. It seemed as if he was rethinking everything. "You're okay with it though? I didn't embarrass you earlier in front of your friends?"

I wanted to snort. If he embarrassed anyone, it would have been Lauren and I was more than happy to witness it. "No, of course not," I sighed. "Besides Angela wants me to go and I'm just glad you asked me before Mike did. I wasn't really looking forward to him hanging off my shoulder like a monkey. You know?"

Edward cracked a smile and my breath caught in my throat. "Yeah, we wouldn't want that, would we?"

And then he was off, walking towards the door. He raised his hand in a farewell. "See you at ten."

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**CHAPTER 18 WILL BE POSTED WITHIN THE WEEK. THAT'S RIGHT. YOU HEARD ME. **

In other news, the second volume to the Secret Prophecies Playlist is available on my livejournal. (The link is in my profile). You can also find icons that the fabulous **kalejay**, **niceiceedward** and **Inwepirate-elf** made for the fic as well! Thanks again for reading!

Reviews are love. :)


	21. Ch 18: A Secret Prophecy

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing in this story except for my own little plot line and any characters you may not recognize. Everything else is property of the genius Stephenie Meyer.

**A/N: **Well, I told you all you'd get another update this week, so here it is! Big thanks to my beta,** twi-ction**. I couldn't have done this without her!

There were a few questions I received in the reviews and all I can tell you is to read this update. ;)

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**Bella's POV:**

Gravel crunched and crumbled in gargled tunes beneath the rubber tires of the Audi as I pulled up to the Blacks' home. Gabriel sat quietly on the front porch, watching me.

The engine still purring, I stopped the car and rolled down the passenger window.

"Get in," I said to him. It wasn't a question nor was it an optional request. He knew I wasn't going to take 'no' for an answer.

Rising gracefully, Gabriel smiled. His eyes held a depth of wisdom that I had never seen in a person before, but still that wisdom was unknown to me. He had the answers to my questions. And finally, I was going to get them.

He slid into the seat next to me with ease, shutting the door purposefully. Not one word left his lips and I instantly backed the car up and took off towards the main highway, unaffected by the silence.

It wasn't until we reached our destination that he eventually spoke. Gulls cried overhead as the chilling, gray waves tumbled over the sepia sand of First Beach. We stood outside by the Audi that was parked on top of the sloping terrain.

"What would you like to know?"

His antique, mystical voice drifted over the wind, carried by the air currents, and swirled around me.

Without answering, I began to trek down the sandy hill, feeling the tiny granules splash inside the soft fabric of my shoes. He followed me obediently as I cut a path to the congregation of rocks where Catherine and Damian had taken me to practice my powers.

The smooth granite was cold beneath my hands as I climbed up the large boulder to take my seat. Once Gabriel had claimed his spot on a rock across from me, I pulled out a small black, leather book, from within the pouch of my hoodie, and opened it.

"January nineteenth, seventeen sixty-eight," I read aloud, the wisps of my blonde hair smacking against my forehead in the wind. "A prophecy made the person I am today. I once believed that it was a message from God, but now I find that I have no more faith in Him anymore. In fact, I find that I have no faith at all. My life has been a never-ending charade of dancing demons and invisible saints. It is my duty to help govern the creatures of the night, the lucifers that walk the Earth. But I have no recollection of why I was made to be this person. Every Treviaron member was created from a prophecy. We all have a purpose but it never seems to be enough.

Today I spoke with Gabriel about a conversation I overheard between he and Lukas. When I asked him what he meant by 'secret prophecy' he merely said that it had nothing to do with me and I was not to worry. Before he left, he told me that one day I would know the only person created by a prophecy so powerful, but he told me that this person was to be kept a secret… kept safe."

A lullaby of waves echoed around us as I closed the book to look up at him.

A knowing grin shaped his thin lips. "I see you found Verrin's journal."

"What did she mean?" I asked, preferring to get right to the point. "This secret prophecy thing? You told her that it was a powerful prophecy and that one day she would know the person created from it. That person is me, isn't it?"

He stared at me through eyes of ianthine glass as if he could see my soul and the colors that swirled in and around my flesh. "Yes."

A flock of grackles dispersed from the tree line, flapping their wings rapidly overhead. Their caws pierced the air as they soared over the currents that matched the water below.

"I want answers." There was a sense of finality to my voice. Too many times I had asked him for the truth and had been given only a handful of watered-down facts. Now, alone as we were, I would get him to tell me what I wanted to hear. There would be no more waiting.

"She who is born a mortal but who does not belong to that world will show her true self when Twilight taints the sky." The words of the prophecy fell from his lips as his haunted voice drifted slowly around me. "She will not know of her fate or the destiny she is to fulfill. Great power hides deep within her, for the one who claims the heart of both a werewolf and a vampire will end a war unlike the world has ever seen. The one who possesses this power will become the most powerful Treviari to walk the earth."

I opened my mouth to speak but he silenced me, interrupting my thoughts.

"Yet, she can not let those she loves know of the truth. Not until the time is right, will the werewolf and vampire know of her power, for they will both sacrifice themselves for her. Should she tell the truth too soon, the one her heart truly belongs to will die. Without her heart, she will not prevail."

Stunned, I simply stared at him in silence, not caring when the wind fluttered pieces of hair into my open mouth. I could taste the dried strands against my tongue.

"Your prophecy is no different than the rest of ours," he explained, tilting his head to the side as if judging my reaction. "We merely kept the rest of yours a secret. Had you known of this too soon I'm afraid you would have never accepted our offer. True, you could have changed in a few years from now but it would have been too late. We need you for this war, Isabella.

To hold great power means to make sacrifices. You love both Edward Cullen and Jacob Black. But your _heart_," he placed a hand over his chest to emphasize his words. "Your heart belongs to only one of those men. Jacob knows most of the truth but not all of it. We felt that had you told Edward the same, he would have unintentionally got in the way. His family wasn't supposed to know yet either, but maybe it's a good thing that Jasper knows. With your help and the set of abilities he already possesses, he truly is the only one who could keep a secret from Edward. But the others… they might not understand. Not only that, but it would be very difficult for Edward to _pretend_ to not know your true identity in Volterra. The Volturi would find you out too soon and we cannot risk that. Besides, how do you think they would react to him if that were to happen? They'd kill him without so much as batting an eyelash. Fear is not greater than power to them, I'm afraid."

I shuddered at the idea, feeling chills pulse and snake their way beneath my skin.

"When the time is right, Bella, you may tell him, but only when it's absolutely necessary. Remember what the prophecy says. If he dies… so will you."

I blinked. "That's not what it said." My voice rose in panic as I frantically pushed my hair away from my face. "It said – "

"How do think you'd feel if he died?"

His question caught me off guard. I had seen too many scenarios of his death in my dreams. Every time I woke up, I felt my heart clench and burst all at once.

He took my silence for his answer. "Figuratively speaking, dear one, you would die should he no longer exist. And without your focus or will, we would not prevail."

"But why can't they know the truth yet? Why must there be a time limit?" I asked, feeling a sense of agitation prick my flesh. "So what if the prophecy says so? It doesn't say _why_."

"We do not question the words of Hekate, Isabella. We are all under her control, and you would do well to not interfere with that."

I quickly looked away, momentarily beaten down by his menacing tongue.

Gabriel sighed and turned his attention to the water as the waves grew calmer and the wind began to slowly diminish. "Maybe it was wrong for us to keep the prophecy from you for so long. We did what we thought was best."

Anger bubbled up from the pit of my stomach, sending fire through my nerves. "Would you have told me this before I went to Volterra without me asking?"

He turned back to look at me sharply, his jaw set. "Absolutely."

I scoffed, shaking my head. "You're a damn fool if you think I'll believe that."

"I will not pretend to think that you would fair easily in Volterra had you not known of the full prophecy." His violet eyes glowed harshly beneath the gray sky and for once I realized the true animalistic nature that came with his power. "Do not underestimate the Volturi, Isabella. Though you may not appear as 'Bella Swan' to them, they will recognize a connection between you and Edward. And if _you_ think that they won't try to tamper with that, then you're the damn fool. You _needed_ to hear the truth before you go there."

Swallowing, I glanced down to my hands that were tucked inside of the nook of my lap. Maybe he was right. "It's very difficult to trust you after what I've been through." My voice was small, hardly discernable to my own ears.

When I looked up, his face had softened and wordlessly, he stood to jump the small distance between the large rocks. I didn't even flinch when he sat down beside of me.

"We care about you, Bella, as hard as that is to believe. I think I would feel exactly how you do if I were in your position. I give you a sliver of trust and then take that away. You have no idea how to feel around me anymore and I can't blame you for that. However, I don't want you to feel the same about the others. They follow what I tell them to do and trust me… all of them have questioned why I haven't told you sooner."

"I still don't understand why you never did. I'm your leader too."

He hummed quietly in amusement. "Perhaps I was protecting you, as I've tried to explain before. I wanted to make sure you were ready, but instead I made it worse by not telling you the whole truth."

I watched the white froth from the sea float across the first damp layer of sand, mesmerized. Though I had placed distrust in him before, I felt sure that Gabriel was, in fact, telling me the truth now.

My fingers touched cold metal and I looked down to see the snake and torch pendant in my hands.

"I don't know if you'll ever wear it again, but it's yours regardless," Gabriel murmured. "You're different to me because, as you said, you are also a leader, Bella. And though I may not have been very good at guiding you in the past, I am very proud of what you have achieved thus far and I'm sorry for the pain I've caused you."

Tears sprang to my eyes. Gabriel was not my father and would never even begin to replace the spot in my heart that belonged only to Charlie. But in that moment I wanted nothing more than to be in my dad's arms. I wanted to feel the twitching scruff of his mustache against my forehead as he hugged me.

Seeing this in my mind, Gabriel cautiously put a hand on my shoulder. That one simple gesture was all it took for me to collapse into his side as he wrapped his arms tightly around me. It wasn't Charlie. It wasn't _home_. But it would do for the time being.

Before we left the beach, I told Gabriel about the visions of Lukas, including his more recent appearance that morning. Gabriel didn't know how to respond to that and seemed troubled on our way back to the reservation.

Smoke rose from the chimney of Jacob's small home and as I parked the car, I placed a hand on Gabriel's arm to stop him from climbing out.

"I forgot to tell you that Edward asked me to go to a party tonight – at a another student's house. Alice and Jasper are going too."

His violet eyes widened in surprise but he didn't seem alarmed in the slightest. "I would imagine they're trying to find out more about you."

I nodded, already thinking the same.

"However, I think with Jasper there it will be more beneficial for you. Not only that but you might find out if and when they do intend on going to Volterra."

"So you think it's okay?" I asked.

Gabriel smiled, a twinkle in his eyes. "And you would take my opposition lightly if I said, 'no?' I think it's a fine idea and I trust you, Bella."

I grinned and pulled the keys from the ignition. "Thanks."

He nodded once and opened his door. "I'll go tell the others. Jacob may not be thrilled about it but I'm sure Catherine and Verrin would love an opportunity to dress you up."

Rolling my eyes, I climbed out into the crisp La Push evening. "You let me worry about Jacob. And tell Catherine and Verrin that they can't go overboard."

Chuckling softly, he turned to me as I caught up to his side. "I'll do my best but I can't make any promises."

~*~*~

Nine thirty glowed in red digits from the clock on the stove. Putting the last clean dish into the drying rack, I turned around to face Jacob who sat at the small, circular kitchen table, a frown permanently in place across his lips.

"Jake," I sighed. "Don't make a big deal out of this."

"He left you, Bells. He made you believe that he didn't want you anymore. Why go to him?" His voice was helpless as the wheels turned in his head. I chanced a peek into his thoughts, seeing images of Edward and I kissing, him telling me that he still loved me… and Jacob off in the distance, alone.

Pushing myself away from the counter, I stalked over to him and knelt by his side. "Now you listen to me, Jacob Black. I love Edward. You know that. Edward did what he thought was the right thing… to keep me safe. That doesn't mean I agree with what he did, but he did it out of love. He did it with the best intentions in his mind. I can see that now. Before I couldn't."

Jacob turned to look away from me and I caught his chin in the palm of my hand, turning his face so that our eyes met. "I also love you, Jake," I murmured. "But my heart belongs to Edward. Please don't ask me to choose between you two."

Verrin bounced into the kitchen then, her bright smile a stark contrast to the unspoken feelings that hung heavy in the air. "Bella, are you ready to go?"

As soon as she saw the forlorn expression on Jacob's face and the guilt that lay heavy in my eyes, she lost her smile. "Oh… um… sorry, I didn't mean to – "

"No, it's okay," I said quickly as I stood up, smoothing out the dark blue shirt that Catherine had chosen for me to wear. It was simple, with a boat neck lining and three-quarter length sleeves. My jeans were a dark wash and more fitted, wrapping snuggly around my hips. Verrin made sure my hair dried naturally in loose, silky buttercream waves.

Jacob stood and reached up to tuck a stray strand behind my ear. "Be careful, Bells," he whispered, his warm breath splashing across my cheek.

And then he left me there, standing awkwardly by the table. I looked up at Verrin, my eyes nearly close to tears.

She didn't say another word, but rushed over to me, wrapping her arms around me tightly. "One day he'll understand."

Her words were put on repeat in my mind as I drove down the highway to the Cullens' house. The directions that Edward gave me were tucked in my pocket, merely just for show. I would know how to get to his house in my sleep, if asked.

As I turned down the dirt road that snaked through the heavy thicket of tall evergreens, the butterfly in my stomach stirred and came to life. The white siding of the old manor peered out through the ink-stained branches, welcoming me and sending warmth through my limbs.

I noticed the porch light was on, spreading a comforting glow that ricocheted off of the several large columns that held up the porch. I wasn't sure where to park, but I figured Edward would be driving, so I pulled up next to his car as to not block his way.

As soon as I stepped out, I heard the soft thud of the screened door opening and closing. I looked up and there he was… my Edward.

He smiled, his hands shoved into the pockets of his jeans as he walked toward me. He wore a dark forest green button-up, the sleeves cuffed at his elbows. The color made his eyes almost glow in the dark.

"Hello," he said, finally stopping in front of me. "Did you find the house okay?"

His smile was contagious, making the corners of my lips turn up. "Yeah, I did," I said, pulling the crumpled directions from my pocket. "It's beautiful out here, you know. Must be nice to be so secluded."

"It has its perks," he said, eyes knowing. "Come on, I'll introduce you to my family. Alice is almost finished getting ready."

I took a deep breath, having not ever considered the idea of seeing the _whole _family.

He guided me inside where fresh memories slammed against me, making me stumble back slightly into Edward. He steadied me, concern lacing his gaze.

"Are you okay?"

Shaking my head, I nervously laughed. "Um, yeah… yeah, I'm fine. Just had a little dizzy spell there. It's nothing to worry about."

He was still watching me cautiously when Emmett made his way into the entry hall. "So you must be Edward's date?"

When I glanced up at him, the urge to run and jump into his arms was overwhelming. He always felt like my big, burly, football-loving brother – the one who teased you relentlessly yet fought for you unconditionally. "Yeah, I'm Marie." I stuck out a hand to him, which he took.

"Nice to meet you, Marie." He then slung an arm around Edward's shoulders, a smug look on his face. "I'm Emmett, Edward's younger, more mature, brother." And I laughed at the way he said it as Edward rolled his eyes and pushed himself away from Emmett.

In that moment, heels clunked on the hardwood floor and the blonde bombshell that was Rosalie Hale walked in. Her eyes roved over me in disgust as she fit into Emmett's side perfectly.

"This is Rosalie," Emmett gestured.

"Nice to meet you," I said, not even expecting a response as she glanced at me again and then instantly turned to plant a searing kiss on Emmett's cheek. She was ignoring me - deliberately.

Rosalie had always struck me in the worst way possible. But back when I had first known her, I was thoroughly intimidated by her.

Not anymore.

"It's nice to meet you too. I didn't quite catch your name though. What was it?" My voice dripped with sarcasm as I mocked a greeting from the vampire before me. Probably not the smartest move but she no longer scared me.

Her ochre eyes shot over to me, piercing me with hate. "Excuse me? If I _wanted_ to talk to you, I would have."

"Rose," Edward cautioned, stepping in front of me. They exchanged a silent warning and Rosalie turned around to leave. Her heels echoed loudly across the floor in her wake.

"I'm… I'm so sorry," I blurted, realizing how stupid my reaction had been. This family already didn't trust me; what was I accomplishing by increasing their suspicion? "My temper gets the best of me and – "

"I like you," Emmett interrupted, completely taking me aback. "My Rosie is a firecracker and not one to mess with, but you… you just blew her gasket. I love it!"

"You're just excited because you think you'll be gettin' some tonight. But I can honestly tell you that she's not going to even let you get a chance, bro."

I looked up to the top of the staircase as Jasper made his descent, his eyes firmly on me. "Why hello there again, Miss Marie." His southern accent was thick and it made my smile stretch from ear to ear.

"Jasper! Hello. It's good to see you again."

He nodded and turned to Edward. "Alice is almost ready."

"Two minutes!" she screamed out from the top floor.

We all chuckled and two new pairs of feet pattered across the floor, catching my attention. Carlisle and Esme.

I wanted to run to them and throw my arms around them both. They were like my second set of parents and from now on, my only set.

"Marie, is it?" Carlisle asked, stepping forward to shake my hand. "Edward and Jasper have told us a lot about you."

"It's so good to finally meet you," Esme greeted as she took my hand next.

"Likewise," I replied, not knowing what else to really say.

"Well, you kids be careful tonight," Carlisle said just as Alice danced her way down the stairs in a radiant red blouse, complete with a black shiny belt that sat snuggly around her waist.

"Hi, Marie!"

What happened next surprised every single person in the room, including me.

Her tiny arms wrapped around my shoulders tightly; pulling me into her surprisingly strong embrace. It took me several moments to even respond. But when I did, she only squeezed me more fiercely. Had I been right about her knowing the truth this morning?

She winked at me as she pulled away to wrap an arm around Jasper's waist. He seemed just as equally as puzzled as the rest of us.

"Well, I think we'll be going," Edward declared, his stance awkward as he tried to decide whether to push us out the door or comment on Alice's behavior first.

He opened the door quickly and the four us hurriedly left.

"Don't drink and drive!" Emmett called out, making Esme laugh by his side. "Stop that!" she scolded.

Chuckling, the four of us slid into Edward's Volvo. Alice and Jasper took the back seat, leaving me to sit up front with Edward. Just feeling the leather beneath my fingers brought back a time when there were no secrets between us. The air had been filled with questions about favorite books and colors and not once was there the unseen tension that hung between us now.

"So," Alice began as Edward drove down the narrow dirt road that led to the highway. "You live on the reservation, Marie?"

"Um… yeah, with Jacob Black. I'm a distant cousin of his. My parents thought it'd be a good idea for me to go to school in a different area… get to meet this side of my family… that sort of thing."

"Oh," Alice replied, nodding curiously. "So… why go to Forks instead La Push for school?"

"Well…" I cleared my throat, noticing that Edward had turned to me as if just as curious about my answer. "Billy didn't think I'd feel comfortable going to school on the rez." Now that I actually voiced the lie out loud, it sounded even more ridiculous. I _could _have manipulated them into believing me, but what was the point? Jasper already knew and I was fairly certain Alice did too. Edward… well, he was catching on. "It's actually a really stupid reason, but he felt like I'd be "broadening my horizons" by going to a school in a different district or something like that." _God, I was so bad at this_.

Edward seemed distracted, almost troubled as we continued our drive to the party. I knew he didn't buy what I said. Hell, I wouldn't have even bought it. It made no sense whatsoever. Would I have even been _allowed_ to go to a school in a different district?

"Do you have siblings?" Alice asked, interrupting my thoughts and thankfully changing the subject.

"Two brothers and two sisters," I said, turning around to glance at her. Her eyes smiled in the dark.

"That's a nice sized family."

I turned back to Edward who had just spoken. He glanced at me, a crooked smile decorating his face. "Guess you know what it's like to be in constant family feuds then?"

I laughed. "Yeah, you could say that."

"So, let's take a vote. Who says everyone's going to be trashed by the time we get there?" Jasper asked, his charm calming the atmosphere around us and making everyone more at ease.

"Oh, I'm sure Lauren will be puking in the bathroom by the time we walk through the front door," Alice predicted. "Trust me."

Edward grinned, his eyes locking with hers through the rearview mirror. "Never bet against Alice."

The music was blaring even from down the street, as we parked along the road. There were cars on either side that seemed to stretch for miles. I knew Lauren had parties like this, but I was never interested in going to them before. If it weren't for the company with me, I still wouldn't have come tonight.

"Interesting music," Alice commented as we strolled up the paved driveway. Several silhouettes danced behind the closed curtains of the front windows as a heavy, electronic beat flowed from the house. It was a two-story home, not as big as the Cullens' house, but big enough.

Edward grimaced. "That is not music."

And there was the Edward I knew, the composer. The one who once hummed my lullaby to me as I slept and performed his sonnets for my ears alone. "Sure it is," I said. "Maybe it's not classical or even alternative. There's no vocals, no guitar to hum along to, not even the composed sound of a piano or a violin, but it is music, Edward. There's a beat. There are notes that make up every one of those sounds. So while it might not be your _taste_ in music, it _is_ still music."

He stared at me in wonder and Jasper came up to clap him on the back. "I knew I liked that girl."

With a satisfied smile on my face, I walked ahead of the group and knocked loudly on the door. Mike opened it, all sloppy smiles and bloodshot eyes, and somehow his face brightened even more. "Marie! You made it! I knew you would," he slurred, his face inches from mine. Somewhere behind me I thought I heard Alice whisper that Edward act more like my date and pull the enormous stick out of his ass. I smiled at that as Mike stumbled forward trying to allow me room inside. "Jess told me you wouldn't come, but I told her she was wrong. Very very _wrong_…" He shook his finger at me as if scolding me.

"Right," I nodded, fighting back a bubbling laugh. "Wrong indeed."

"You're here though, Rrrrrrigas!"

"Oh God," I mumbled at the same time.

"I knew you'd make it. I just knew it – woah!" Mike was pushed forward by someone trying to move behind him. Naturally, he fell on me. I caught his shoulders with my hands, trying to keep his face from falling into the crook of my neck.

"Easy there, Newton," Edward shouted over the crescendo of noise. He grabbed Mike by the back, fisting a handful of cotton to pull him away. "Wouldn't want to hurt yourself."

"Edward Cullen is here! Wow." Mike stood there before my vampire of a boyfriend… _ex-boyfriend_… as if he were role model of the year. "I idolize you man… I also hate you. But I idolize you too…"

"Lovely," Edward muttered, placing a hand on Mike's shoulder to guide him through the crowd. "Let's get you some food. Marie, I'll be right back," he called over his shoulder.

I laughed, turning to Alice who had been standing behind me. She winked and looked up at Jasper, placing a comforting hand on his arm. He watched the crowd nervously and it was then that I realized how difficult it must have been for him to be here. Why hadn't the rest of them thought of that?

Pretending that something was on the back of his sweater, I picked at it, passing a wave of calm between us – giving him a taste of the powers that he bestowed on everyone else. "You've got a piece of fuzz on you," I commented, plucking at his back. He looked down at me and smiled – a thank you.

Edward eventually made his way back through the throngs of drunken teenagers, a red cup in his hand. "Sorry about that," he said, handing me the drink. "It's just Sprite. I fixed it myself."

Taking the drink, I looked up at him curiously. "And what if I wanted the alcohol, Mr. Cullen?"

Edward had the nerve to look completely flustered in that moment. "Um… well…"

Laughing, I tugged on his arm. "Come on. We need to find a place to talk. I can see you're not comfortable in crowds."

We found our way into the kitchen where Angela and Jess were talking animatedly. Angela squealed in delight at the sight of me and threw her arms around my neck. "Marie! I'm so happy you came! Did you run into Mike yet?"

"Oh yeah. I'm afraid he's a bit far gone right now."

Jessica snorted as she rolled her eyes. "Yeah, sorry about him. Edward here gave him some food though. So we'll see." She shrugged turning back to her drink.

"Well, Lauren will be glad to know you guys showed up," Angela insisted. "I'll be sure to tell her."

I looked around us, noting the absence of a particular blonde. "Where is she anyway?"

"Bathroom," Jessica sighed. "Been in there for the past ten minutes now."

"Well… is she okay? Should you go check on her?"

"I sent Tyler to go do it," Jessica admitted.

Angela turned to her with wide eyes. "You sent a _boy_ to go check on her? Jess!" Slamming her cup down, Angela stormed out of the kitchen, fighting the crowd to reach an ill Lauren, Jessica hot on her heals. "Wait! Angela!"

"So, where was that quiet spot I mentioned?" I asked Edward, a joking tone to my voice.

He smiled down at me, wrapping an arm around my shoulder. "Come on, there's a door right through here. I saw it in my quest to find cheetos for Newton."

Laughing, I followed him to a solitary wooden door that led outside, nonchalantly disposing of my drink before we left. There weren't many people out and the moon was full and bright, shining a cascade of white light that soaked into the ground beneath our feet. Cyprus trees created a large rectangle, sectioning the yard off from the rest of the houses. It was nice… quiet. There was even a small flower garden surrounding a birdbath off to the right in a corner.

"So who really is Marie Rigas?" Edward asked, a lightness in his voice as he grinned down at me.

I smiled. Somehow I knew he would find a way to ask this question, yet, I wasn't bothered by it. I welcomed it, in fact. Looking up toward the sea of stars, I sighed, wrapping my arms tightly around me.

Edward watched in amused silence, his eyes glistening.

"Well, she's certainly not the world's best singer or dancer," I began, which created a warm laugh that rumbled his chest. "She can't draw a stick figure and don't even ask her if she knows the true number of pie, because she always gets it wrong. Really, she's just a normal girl," I admitted, my voice becoming softer as my mind willed myself to believe it was true. "She likes the color blue. Her favorite ice cream is coffee and when the weather is nice, she likes to go outside and lay in the grass with a good book." My eyes locked with his and just for that moment, it was if as if we were Edward and Bella, not Edward and Marie. "She lost a love once, like you. He was the world to her. He made her see things about herself that she never saw before. She'd do anything to be with him again," I whispered.

Somewhere during my confession, Edward had moved much closer to me, merely inches away. I could see the gold flecks in his irises. "What happened to him?"

And as I looked up at him, memorizing the shape of his eyes, the smooth slope of his nose, the sharp curves of his cheeks, I realized that immortal or not, I wanted to be with this man, this vampire, for as long as I lived. "He left her."

His lips parted slowly as his hands raised to gently caress the sides of my face. My eyes fluttered shut. "Marie," he murmured, cool breath billowing over my skin.

"Edward!"

Startled, we both turned to the direction of the high-pitched voice. Alice stood in the doorway, one hand propping the door open as she held a phone in the other. "It's Carlisle."

Immediately tense, Edward turned to me, guilt written in his eyes. "I'll be right back."

He moved quickly to his sister as they entered the house, but Jasper slid past them, speaking with them briefly before heading toward me.

"Hey," he murmured, his voice nervous.

I searched his face, stepping close to him. "Jasper, what's wrong?"

"We're leaving."

I shook my head, not understanding him. "Do you mean the party or –"

"We're leaving Forks. Carlisle sent word to Aro earlier today to let him know that we had made our decision and Aro wants us in Volterra as soon as possible. We're leaving tonight, Bella," he whispered.

My heart fell beneath my stomach. I knew this day would come; I had prepared myself for it and even convinced Jasper to persuade his family to leave. But I wasn't ready for the mix of emotions I would feel when it actually happened. Fear. Sadness. Worry. Anger. Love.

"You're making my head hurt," Jasper muttered, shutting his eyes.

"Shit, sorry," I whined, placing my hands on his head to soothe the ache. "I didn't mean to just release everything at once like that."

"It's okay," he muttered. "I feel the same way."

A sad smile lifted the corners of my lips. "I'll tell Gabriel tonight. He'll want me to follow you."

Jasper nodded, turning back to the house. "Alice and Edward are out front. They'll be back shortly to get us. I'm sorry we had to leave so soon."

"You think I'm the kind of girl who normally goes to these things?" I joked. "Jasper, had Bella Swan been here, she would have broken her ankle just by entering the house. I'm lucky to have made it this far."

He laughed, running a hand through his blonde waves. "Yeah and then Edward would be beating himself up over it as usual."

I watched him contentedly, feeling comforted by the fact that he was there. But before we left, there was something I had to tell him. "I think Alice knows."

He turned to me sharply, his eyes alarmed.

"This morning… I saw Lukas again. She and Edward came over to me when it was over and… well, I think she knows, Jasper. I'm not positive but she acts like she _knows_ me." I recounted the story in greater detail and he listened intently, never interrupting. "What do you think?"

"The hug she gave you before we left was really odd. Alice didn't trust you at all in the beginning, Bella. She was probably the most adamant about it than the rest of us. That's why everyone was so shocked by it."

I nodded, feeling the ghost of her embrace around my shoulders.

"If she does know," he continued. "She hasn't said anything to me about it."

The back door to the house opened and Edward stepped outside. Jasper and I walked toward him, meeting him somewhere in the middle of the yard. "Marie, I'm sorry to cut things short but we've had a family emergency. I'd say you could stay here but your car is at our house and I wouldn't feel comfortable with you being stuck here amongst those idiots." He motioned over to one of the windows where Mike Newton and Eric Yorkie could be seen dancing on the kitchen table. "Can you forgive me?" The lopsided grin had taken residence in his face once more and all I could do was sigh.

"Of course I can, and don't worry about it, Edward. Family comes first."

He reached out a hand to me and I intertwined our fingers, locking them securely together as I followed him inside. Jasper merely shook his head behind us, a knowing grin on face.

The roar of the crowd was piercing as we entered the house. I stuck close to Edward, shoving past familiar faces of people I would never see again. Glancing back around, I saw the laughter of Mike and Eric filling the air – my goofy, strange friends.

Jessica was in the back of the crowd but she didn't notice us. She merely cheered for the sandy-haired boy who danced in front of a crowd as if he had no care in the world.

"Marie!"

I turned to my left as we entered the living room. Angela was pushing her way over to me and I noticed that Lauren was standing off to the side, leaning against the wall, her hair matted to the sides of her face. "You can't be leaving now! You just got here!"

Letting go of Edward's hand, I flung myself at Angela, holding her tight. "You're a great friend, Ang. Never forget that."

Pulling away, I blindly reached my hand back out only to have it grabbed by cold fingers within seconds. Even if there were twenty people between us, Edward would always find me. Poor Angela was left in the crowd staring sadly at me as I was guided outside underneath the night sky.

Alice was waiting at the end of the driveway, her eyes forlorn. She gave me an encouraging smile as we walked down the street.

Within a matter of minutes, we were on our way back to the Cullens' home. The glow from the street lamps overhead passed across my face, blinding my world in a sea of white for brief sections at a time. My friends were now gone, along with Charlie and Renee.

This was it. This was the beginning of Bella Swan's death.

Without thinking, I reached out to place my hand on top of Edward's wrist. Both of his hands were clenched tightly around the steering wheel and he turned to me at the feel of my touch. His right hand loosened, falling from the wheel into the palm of my hand and I held on tightly. He was my lifejacket, the only one who could keep me from drowning.

I didn't want to let go of him, not even as we pulled into their driveway and climbed out of the car.

"I don't know when I'll see you next, but promise me you'll be safe," Edward told me as we stood beside of the black Audi. "Don't go roaming about in the woods without anyone else."

I laughed, though it sounded forced.

"We wouldn't want you to get hurt," he murmured, reaching up to softly cup my cheek in his cool hand.

I wrapped my arms around his neck then, just focusing on the feel of him against me. "I told you that one day you would know everything, Edward. I'm keeping that promise. You _will_ see me again."

He pulled away from me, eyes troubled as creases wrinkled the skin in his forehead. "Just believe me," I whispered, running my fingers along the marbled flesh above his eyes. "I hope everything turns out okay."

I bit back the tears that curled around my eyes and turned from him, quickly sliding into the Audi. The ignition was on in seconds and I backed out, leaving him alone as I drove off into the night.

His hunched figure reflected back in my rearview mirror and as soon as he was out of sight, my body shook in uncontrollable spasms as the tears slid freely down my cheeks.

~*~*~

Slamming the front door of Jacob's home, I stalked into the kitchen to find Gabriel sitting at the table with Billy, a newspaper in hand. They both looked up at me in alarm. My eyes stung, my heart ached and I felt like I was losing Edward all over again.

"I need to call a meeting. Get everyone here. Now."

Within the next twenty minutes the rest of the pack had joined us to congregate in the living room, their eyes intently watching me. The only person missing was Damian, but Gabriel assured me that he'd be there soon.

I stood in the middle, my blonde strands tossed aside for my natural muddy brown. "As some of you know, I went to a party tonight with Jasper Hale and Edward and Alice Cullen."

Whispers echoed around the room amongst the pack members who had not know about this previously.

"They wanted to know more about me," I explained. "And I wanted to get information from them as well. What I found out was this… Carlisle Cullen sent out a message to Aro earlier today to let him know that they would go to Volterra. It was just an hour ago that Jasper told me they had received word from Aro. He wants them to be in Volterra as soon as possible. They're leaving tonight." I turned to Gabriel, locking my eyes with his. "Gabriel, it's time."

"Very well," he agreed. "We'll get everything arranged for you to travel."

"She's not going alone," Jacob growled, stepping forward, his eyes unable to meet mine. "I won't let her."

I sighed, wishing that things weren't so tense between us.

"That's fine," Gabriel told him. "If you want to go with her, we'll make arrangements for that as well. However, Bella will have another traveler with her."

I turned to him, suddenly curious. "What do you mean?"

And that's when it happened. The whole pack tensed, growls issuing from deep within their throats. "Steady," Sam called out, his voice booming over the rising arpeggio of sounds.

I looked around in alarm before glancing back at Gabriel.

"You need to take a captive with you, Isabella – a prisoner of war so to speak."

A flash of red caught my eye and I spun around to meet the vampire I had wished to never see again. Chills ran down my arms as I stared back into her fiery blood red eyes. Damian had a grip on her shoulders, insuring that she wouldn't escape.

"What's the matter, Bella?" Victoria hissed. "You didn't forget me did you?"

-

-

**A/N #2:** Victoria??? What??? My beta says she can gtfo, but I can't help it. I just _had_ to throw her back in. ;) Anyway, I hope this chapter clarified a few things for you all, although I know it doesn't give you a true answer regarding the number one question everyone wants to know: When will Bella tell Edward the truth?

I'll tell you a little secret... It happens in Volterra.


	22. Ch 19: It's All Pretend

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing in this story except for my own little plot line and any characters you may not recognize. Everything else is property of the genius Stephenie Meyer.

**A/N: **First of all, big thanks to my beta,** twi-ction**. She's so awesome at what she does!

Now, I'll do something I haven't done in awhile. I'm going to answer a few questions that I received in the reviews from last time.

**1) Does Alice really know the truth?** Possibly. Remember, I haven't said anything definite that she does. You'll find out in a future update.

**2) Why is Jacob going to Volterra?** Because Jacob is a jealous, overprotective, hotheaded werewolf. You just don't argue with him because it's pointless. Plus, he's still head-over-heels in love with Bella so he'd follow her anywhere. lol

**3) Why does Bella need to bring Victoria to Volterra?** Remember that the Volturi sent Victoria after Bella in the very beginning of the story. The Guardiani de Trevia captured Victoria and kept her for their own prisoner, which they made sure Aro knew about. Now that Bella is returning, it only makes sense that Victoria comes back with her. Victoria has a key role in helping Bella inside Volterra, which will unfold in the coming updates.

**4) Will Bella be able to control Victoria in Volterra?** That is somewhat answered in this update.

Thanks for all the reviews, guys! It's means a lot that you are still sticking with this craziness of a fic! ;)

* * *

**Chapter 19: It's All Pretend**

Bella's POV: 

The girl in the mirror stared back at me. Her violet eyes held no wisdom, only fear. She wasn't ready, but pretended to be. I stared at the shape of her eyes, small and oval, like her father's. Her lips were smooth, the bottom lip slightly fuller than the top, like her mother's. The shape of her nose was a combination of the two – her father's straight slope and her mother's small nostrils. Beneath the similarities were faint distinguishing marks of someone foreign – alien. Her eyes were tainted and the aura surrounding her put her far above the human race. I held up a finger and poked at the warm skin of her cheek. It gave beneath my touch, leaving a white stain that quickly vanished when I pulled away.

I was this girl and yet I knew nothing about her. I only knew what she used to be.

Shutting off the light, I pushed the small bathroom door open and stepped out into the narrow aisle of the private jet. Gabriel didn't want to risk the chance of a werewolf and a vampire aboard a commercial airline. So here I was, 40,000 feet up in the air with my best friend and my enemy. I was the one in charge. I was the immortal warrior, the one who could fight both of them off with just barely lifting a finger. But I was afraid.

I felt weak. My stomach never held anything I ate. Every time I even tried to comprehend what I was about to do, my heart would plummet and I'd run to the bathroom as fast as my legs would carry me.

Victoria sat on one side of the jet, glaring at the wolf across from her. The bindings around her hands sat loosely beside of her thigh. She knew not to cross me and I felt no reason in keeping her a prisoner until we were in Volturi territory. Her scarlet eyes slid over to me as I entered the cabin.

"You won't be able to run to a bathroom every five minutes in Volterra," she warned. "They'll suspect too much of you."

"How does she know that you won't rat her out?" Jacob snarled as I sat beside of him on the cream-colored leather seat.

I shut my eyes as my jaws automatically clenched.

"Like I would actually provoke a Treviaron," she hissed, her gaze widening in fright at the thought. "Besides, it's her job to ensure that Aro doesn't try to read my mind."

Slowly opening my eyes, I took a few deep breaths to relax. Gabriel had given me a list of all of the Volturi members and their special "gifts." Aro merely had to brush past Victoria to see a glimpse into her thoughts.

"Don't leave everything on her," Jacob growled as he stood up to face her. His whole body shook and trembled with his rage.

Victoria merely grinned. "Are you going to attack me, pup? I'd like to see you try it."

Jacob lunged for her but Victoria was too quick. Even as weak as she was, she was still stronger than him. Within seconds, she held his neck within her cold grasp, dangling him high in the air. "Well, it was an honest effort," she laughed.

"Enough!" I shouted, glaring at the two of them. I was so emotionally drained that I couldn't even find the strength to get up. "Don't tempt me, Victoria."

She immediately released Jacob and a round of growls and hisses filled the air. I rolled my eyes as they both returned to their seats.

"You let me handle Aro," I spat, my gaze drifting over to the redheaded vampire. "And if I do find out that you've tried to tell them the truth, I will not be kind and give you a quick death. Do you understand me?"

She stared at me blankly, a few trickles of terror passing before her eyes, and then she turned away to look out the window as white feathery clouds sped by.

A sigh of frustration escaped my lips as I let my head fall into my hands. I felt the weight of the world and more on my shoulders and it never seemed like it would go away.

"Hey," Jacob murmured to my left. "Things will work out, Bella. You'll see."

I knew he was trying to comfort me but all I felt was my temper rising and hot liquid forming behind my eyes.

"You're always so optimistic aren't you, Jake? I get that you're trying to make me feel better but _nothing_ you say will do that." My voice trembled as tears slid down my face. Jacob stared at me solemnly, not even trying to deny my words. "I'm living a lie, Jacob. Everything about me is false. Can't you see that? Your Bella," I croaked, placing a hand over my chest as I looked up at him. "She's gone. I've lost _everything_ that ever once belonged to me. Now, I have to go pretend to be someone I'm not just to save the ones still left in my life, but I have no idea what I'm doing!" Angry with myself, I stood up and walked to the far side of the connecting bench seat, which wasn't really that far, and sat down. It might have been childish, but I needed to sit by myself to prevent me from doing anything else I would regret. Wordlessly, I began to finger the silver pendant that hung from my neck.

The door from the cockpit opened and Alex poked his head in. He convinced Gabriel to let him escort the three of us to Volterra, saying that it was merely to ensure that we didn't "screw up." But I knew it was because he was trying to make up for his bad behavior toward me in the beginning. His bright eyes found me instantly and a careful smile formed across his lips. "Everything all right?"

I barely glanced up at him as I trained my gaze to the floor. "Fine," I sighed, feeling the last bit of energy seep out of my limbs. "Everything's going to be fine."

~*~*~*~

Edward's POV: 

Alice sat in the back of the tour bus in the very last seat, a pencil and sketchpad in hand. Her shoulder pressed up against Jasper's arm, giving him a small comfort as he focused his thoughts on the passing scenery outside.

Carlisle had insisted that we kept as low of a profile as possible while in Volterra. Though sitting amongst several elderly women oohing and aahing over the Italian hillsides and vibrant landscapes seemed trivial, it wasn't as easy for some. My choice to sit in the seat across the aisle from Jasper and Alice was a safety precaution. Carlisle and Esme sat in front of me and Emmett and Rosalie sat across from them. Together we made up our own space in the shape of a small square.

The breeze from the air condition battered down against my forehead and no matter how I sat in the seat, it always seemed to find me. The damn thing wouldn't even turn off.

"Stupid piece of machinery," I muttered.

"Whatcha drawing little sis?" Emmett asked as he looked over the back of his seat at the small pixie. The pencil in her hand moved in fast, flourishing motions. Her forehead wrinkled in concentration as she stared at the pad before her.

"It's a vision I keep having."

At this, Carlisle turned his head, his curiosity piqued. I was the only one who had known of Alice's recurring visions as I had seen them play out several times in my own mind. "Oh? What was this vision about?"

His fingers idly swept through Esme's chestnut strands and I felt a sense of jealousy and sadness wash over me.

Finally, Alice set down her pencil and turned the drawing pad to the rest of the family. A woman looked back at us from the page, her features striking and unlike any creature I had ever seen. From the very first glimpse of her in Alice's visions, I knew she was different.

"I think I knew her before, when I was human," Alice explained. "But I can't really remember. I keep seeing her now in glimpses. She's always with the other girl I've told you about – the one with the violet eyes."

"Can you remember anything else about her?" Esme questioned, her voice soft.

Frowning, Alice looked away as she tried to remember a lifetime decades ago. "I think her name was Verrin."

Jasper kept his gaze focused outside, hardly taking notice of us. That alone was reason for me to be bothered, but what disturbed me more was the fact that his mind was completely silent.

The voice of the driver spoke loudly through the intercom system, informing us that we were approaching Volterra. The group of elderly women clapped in excitement.

"Finally," Rosalie sighed, pulling out the tiny, white ear buds from her ears. "I thought we'd never get away from the old bitty club."

Not one of us was truly excited about the place we were visiting. Our decision to come back had delighted Aro, to say the least. But with every minute that brought us closer to the historic city, the more somber our mood became as the seriousness of the situation settled over us. From the beginning of our trip, I had been haunted by the last time I had seen Marie. The look in her eyes before she left, reminded me so much of Bella that I could hardly stand it. It hurt me to know that once again I was leaving someone I cared for behind.

The next few minutes were a blur. It didn't take long for my family and I to exit the bus and find our way through the city once we arrived. Thankfully, the plaza wasn't as crowded as it had been on our previous visit and Jasper felt more comfortable walking amongst the scarce number of humans.

A shadow from within the alleyway that led to the Volturi's underground entrance caught my gaze.

_Finally you see me._

The sickeningly, sweet voice that could only belong to a child entered my mind. I stopped midstride, turning toward the source of my enemy.

Jasper watched me closely, halting the others.

"Alec is waiting for us," I told them. And though I didn't want to move closer to him, my feet seemingly carried me in his direction. I could feel the presence of my family close behind me as we neared the entrance to the alley.

A long shadow was cast over Alec's pubescent face. He wore no smile nor bid us welcome, but merely stepped aside for a small blonde-haired vampire to approach us.

Jane.

Her blood-red eyes cut through me like a serrated knife.

"Glad you all changed your mind," she hissed, her crimson pools locking onto each of us. "Aro's been waiting for you. Follow me."

~*~*~*~

Bella's POV: 

It wasn't a nightmare that woke me hours later, but the distinct feeling of being cold. I shivered, my hands rubbing my arms furiously as I sat up.

"It's about time you were awake."

My muscles tensed as I turned toward the menacing sound. Victoria sat to my left, her body mere inches from mine.

"I don't know how Edward could stand it if he was around you when you fell asleep. It's rather boring."

"Can I help you with something?" I interjected; scooting away from her as far as the small space would allow me.

She grinned, making the dark circles beneath her eyes stand out even more. It only then occurred to me that she hadn't fed off of anything since we had captured her. Her gaze drifted to her lap as her mouth straightened into a thin line.

"Are you going to kill me?" she whispered.

I sat there, dumbfounded, taking in the demon before me. For almost a year she had hunted me, terrorizing my dreams at night. Now, the tables had turned. I was the thing she feared above anything else. Victoria hardly resembled the wild, dangerous creature she had been during the baseball game not so long ago.

I sighed as I began to bite my lip, though the words that I spoke next were cold and hard. "Would you give a reason to warrant me killing you?"

She shook her head, the vibrant red of her curls swaying past her shoulders.

"Then I won't."

The look in her eyes as she turned to me was a mixture of emotions – confusion, relief, fear, distrust. Finally, she looked away. "I'll let you get back to sleep."

"I won't go back to sleep now," I murmured. "There's too much on my mind."

Victoria didn't budge. She merely sat with her hands folded in her lap as if waiting for me to release her. I drank in the dark bruises across her skin and the faint white scars that brandished her face and arms. Maybe it was the stress or lack of rest that afflicted my body, but I felt sorry for her.

"Have they fed you anything?"

She tilted her head to the side, barely even looking at me. "They have, just not recently."

I nodded. "Is it hard for you right now? Being around me, I mean."

A soft giggle erupted from her lips. "Your smell is tainted, Bella and there's no way I'm getting anywhere near to that filth." She gestured toward a sleeping Jacob as he snored quietly on the opposite end of the cabin.

I smiled though it barely reached my eyes. Jacob would be leaving as soon as we landed. He'd need to stay somewhere outside of the city so that his scent wouldn't alert the Volturi. I had too many things to focus my energies on to also include hiding his scent while he was so near. It bothered me that I was putting him in so much danger.

"Victoria."

She turned to me; her questioning eyes waiting.

"You will help me won't you? I haven't the slightest idea of what to expect once we get there. Gabriel said that they wouldn't know of me coming, so I'll need you to help me get inside their headquarters."

Victoria nodded and I could tell that she wouldn't betray me. She had seen too many of the horrors of my kind to even consider it. Her thoughts also portrayed an extreme distrust in Aro. "I'll help you."

"Thanks," I muttered, glancing down. "I won't let them hurt you. I don't know Aro's way of thinking, but if he sees that you're weak when I bring you in, he may want to kill you himself."

Victoria shuddered but didn't disagree with my theory. "I know."

"As scared as I am about even being there, I will make it clear that they will not do anything without my permission. I don't know how I'll do it, but – "

"Bella." Victoria's voice was harsh as she cut me off, instantly squashing my insecurities. "These vampires, no matter how powerful they are to our kind, fear you. They are terrified of you. Aro and his brothers will listen to anything you say because they know that you could massacre the entire army that they've created without so much as flinching. The only things you need to worry about are showing your authority and keeping your true identity hidden. The latter will be much harder for you, I'm sure. If they find out who you really are, it won't change their fear in you but they can find ways to hurt you."

I frowned, not liking the sound of that. "What do you mean?"

"As Marie Rigas, you are just another member of the Guardiani de Trevia – a very powerful member, mind you, but to them you would only know members of your own party. Think of what they'll do if they find out you're really Bella Swan, Edward Cullen's lover. Aro is a very deceptive being, Bella. He'll find a way to hurt you through Edward."

Gabriel's words echoed through my mind, _"Do not underestimate the Volturi, Isabella. Though you may not appear as 'Bella Swan' to them, they will recognize a connection between you and Edward. And if you think that they won't try to tamper with that, then you're the damn fool."_

The rest of our journey was spent in silence. When we finally landed, our first stop was to drop Jacob off at a hotel outside of the city limits of Volterra in San Gimignano.

We rented an SUV with tinted windows so that the sun would not catch Victoria's glittering skin. Alex stayed in the vehicle with Victoria while I stepped out to help Jake check in. It was a nice hotel but nothing too extravagant. The pack would be meeting with him in a few days, but I worried about him being alone.

The concierge, a tall, thin man with a serious face, handed Jacob the key to his room and told us to wait for the bellman to help with his things.

"Jake," I said, my voice urgent. I didn't know when I'd be able to see him next. "Are you sure you want to stay here by yourself? I mean, you could fly back to Forks with Alex and wait to come up here with the pack."

"Despite your little outburst at me yesterday, Bells, I'm not leaving you. So don't even try to think that I will. I may not be able to be within the city but if you needed to get away, you'll know where to find me." He smiled, his warm hand gently squeezing mine.

"Jacob, they could find you," I whispered, suddenly seeing every possible scenario play out in my mind.

He took both of my arms, holding me firmly as he stared into my eyes. "Bella, they won't. You wouldn't let them."

I tried to smile but it only appeared as a grimace. "Jacob – "

He embraced me then, cradling me against his chest. The heat from his skin calmed me and I shut my eyes tightly. "I'll be fine, Bells," he muttered, kissing the top of my head. "Don't worry about me. You only worry about yourself."

I hated leaving him there and a few tears betrayed me as we drove away. The only thing I could think of as I let myself transform into Marie, and rid myself of his scent, was that I was leaving my best friend behind.

The city of Volterra, encased with its stone walls as the sun shone above it like a beacon of light, stretched out before me and my heart sped deep within my chest.

"Calm down," Victoria whispered as Alex parked the SUV just outside the city gates.

He turned to look at me. "You know what to do, right? There's a plaza in the center of the city with a fountain. There's a back entrance into the Volturi headquarters that leads underground, which you'll find in an alleyway off to the right. Victoria will help you."

I nodded as I opened the passenger door. Victoria, her face hidden beneath a black hooded sweatshirt, followed my move. Her hands were bound and she quickly ran to stand in the shadows so that her skin wouldn't betray her true nature.

Alex grabbed my arm before I could fully leave the SUV. "Bella, wait."

I turned to him, his violet eyes warm and full of worry. "I'm sorry for our disagreements in the past. I don't want you to think that I resent you being apart of our family, because I don't. I'm proud to call you my leader and I just needed you to know that before I leave you here. I'll be staying with other members of the guard in the same area as Jacob. He'll be all right, Bella. We won't let any harm come to him and if you need anything, please find a way to let us know. Gabriel and the others will come up here with the pack in a few days."

Without even a second thought, I jumped back into my seat and pulled him to me in a fierce hug, whispering a word of thanks in his ear. "Wish me luck," I said as I climbed out, shutting the door behind me. He raised his hand as he watched me run after Victoria and as I left him, I thought I heard his quiet voice mutter, "Good luck."

Victoria stood beneath the shadow of a colorful awning that signified the entrance to a café. Her eyes were pitch black. "We need to hurry," she hissed. "There are too many humans near us and I haven't eaten anything in almost a week."

I nodded, grabbing her arm and together we raced through the stone cobbled streets of Volterra. We dodged people left and right and my grip tightened on her as we neared the plaza. "Where do we go?" I asked, my chest heaving and out of breath.

"This way."

She guided me through the shadows as we maneuvered along the sides of the old, antique buildings. I saw the fountain in the middle of the plaza, its crystal clear water sparkling beneath the sun. Victoria ushered me through a dark alley between two restaurants.

"It's an easy place to find people," she whispered. "So many of them come to the restaurants. It's one of the ways the Volturi feeds."

I stared at her in shock and then looked back to a young mother holding her son's hand as he carried a red balloon and laughed on their way into one of the cafés. "That's horrible."

"That's life."

"I won't let them do it," I stammered as we walked deeper into the alley. The chill from the darkness settled in around me.

Victoria stopped me, her onyx eyes gleaming in the dark. "If you're going to pretend that you're on the Volturi's side, then you're at least going to have to let them feed."

It made me sick to even think about it, but I nodded and let her guide me over to a large drainage hole in the middle of the road. I lifted the wrought iron grate with ease and watched as Victoria lithely jumped down into the darkness below.

"Come on!" she hissed. I looked around me, making sure no one would see me and then I jumped in after her.

Water splashed around my ankles as I landed in the filth of the underground tunnel. It was at least thirty degrees cooler down there and I shuddered as water leaked from the sludge-stained walls around me.

"Follow me," Victoria whispered, making her way through the tunnel. I didn't waste time in keeping up with her pace. Rats skirted around our feet, their squeaks echoing loudly. "As soon as we enter the other set of tunnels, you'll have to drag me in and treat me like I'm your prisoner," she said. "We risk too much if you don't."

"I think I know how I'm going to execute the plan, thank you," I snarled, grabbing her arm and shoving her alongside me.

Victoria laughed quietly, her sharp teeth gleaming in the darkness. "You'll have to do better than that, _Marie_."

My right hand twisted around her arm, jolting it upward into an unnatural position. She growled in pain.

"Shut up," I snapped, already beginning to sense the other vampires nearby.

We continued to walk through the darkness until we entered a different looking tunnel. This time, torches decorated the walls, giving us some light to see by.

"This is where they're keeping their guests," Victoria muttered. "There's a meeting hall down here. That's where they should be. There's another set of tunnels down here as well that leads to the Volturi's main lair. It has an entryway to the building above."

As she spoke, several other voices filled the air.

"Listen," she hissed.

There wasn't anyone else around, so we stopped. I took in the voices, trying to discern who they belonged to.

"She has seen them," one said, a sickly sweet tinge to the high-pitched tone. "She has foreseen a guard."

"Aro, please try to be reasonable."

"Carlisle, my dear friend, now would not be the time to negotiate."

"I don't know who it is!"

And I gasped. I knew who _that_ voice belonged to. There was only one vampire who I knew that could see the future.

"We have to hurry," I murmured, grabbing hold of Victoria's arm again.

She grunted, trying to walk in stride with me.

The tunnel suddenly became familiar to me. I remembered this somehow… in a dream. There was a door to the left. That much I knew.

We paused before the wooden entrance and I turned to Victoria. The sounds of Alice's pleas and angry hisses filled my mind. They were trying to force more information out of her and I knew Jasper was in a fit of rage somewhere close by. I could hear him and the rest of the Cullens.

"You can't just burst in there," Victoria whispered quickly. "You need to have a plan."

My nails dug into her flesh as the anger within me took over. Her eyes widened in uncertainty and fear. "Trust me," I sneered. "I do."

The door gave way easily beneath my hand as I pushed our way through. I could see thousands of vampires in the amphitheatre before me, their eyes dancing with excitement. And suddenly, I remembered the nightmare. I remembered how I came through this door and saw Edward on his knees, facing his own death.

Now, it was Alice who was in trouble. Aro's hands were on either side of her face, his onion-like flesh a stark contrast to her porcelain skin.

Jasper growled, lunging himself between two Volturi guards as he tried to get to his love. The rest of the Cullens were blocked off by guards as well, and that's when I saw Edward. His hair was a flame in the darkness and I felt my heart flutter at the sight.

I had to act fast if I was going to stop anything before the vampires picked up on my heartbeat.

"Stop!"

I felt the millions of dead eyes upon me, but my gaze was only directed at Aro. The excitement in his face instantly drained as he took in the violet blaze of my eyes. "It can't be," he whispered.

Silence overtook the room and I felt the Cullens' gaze burning hot against my skin. I drug Victoria further inside, my stance strong as I walked toward the leader of the Volturi.

I couldn't even begin to take in the detail of the arena or the other Volturi members who were there. All I could do was focus on the matter before me.

"My name is Marie Rigas and I am a member of the Guardiani de Trevia. I have come here to form an alliance with your kind. However, I am told that the vampire you hold, Alice Cullen, is a vital member to our efforts. Should you harm her, I will see that as un-cooperation on your part. And _if _that happens…"

I was a blur of speed as I appeared before Aro, only inches from his undead flesh. Without thinking, I twisted Victoria's arm until a sickening crack reverberated throughout the room. She screamed out in agony and for a moment I felt myself waver. But I knew, as I locked eyes with his, that there was no room for error. "I _will_ kill you. Make no mistake about that."

Carelessly, I threw Victoria to the ground at Aro's feet. He stared back at me in shock, his sanguine eyes alarmed.

I took a step closer to him until our faces were mere centimeters apart. He had to know that I was not afraid of him. "There's your _messenger_," I seethed.

* * *

**A/N #2:** So, I'm sure all of you are wondering if Aro is going to touch Victoria now and OMG it'll ruin everything... Well, this is why I write cliffhangers of doom. My beta swears by them and I'm sure you all are just as frustrated as she probably was over it. All I'm going to say is that you'll find out in the next update. And NO, I won't wait as long as I did for this one to post it. lol

Reviews make me extremely happy. :) Thanks for reading!


	23. Ch 20: Keep Your Friends Close

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing in this story except for my own little plot line and any characters you may not recognize. Everything else is property of the genius Stephenie Meyer.

**A/N: **Thank you so much for all of your awesome reviews guys! I may not have time to respond to all of you but I do read every review and I appreciate all of them so much. Again, I have to thank my beta, **twi-ction**, for working her magic on this!

I'm just going to comment on a couple of remarks/questions you guys had:

**1) Why did Alice not see Marie/Bella coming?** Remember that Alice and Bella do not hold a strong connection anymore because of what Bella is now. It's kind of like how she can't see the wolves in the series. I don't think I've touched on that topic too much, but you'll see it come into play later on.

**2) A lot of you are curious to find out what Bella will do with Victoria or if Aro will end up touching Victoria, etc.** All I can say is to read this update. lol

**3) Which appearance did Bella have when she met the Volturi?** I know it was like a blip of a description in the last update, and pretty much kind of easy to miss, but Bella did change into "Marie" in the SUV with Victoria and Alex on their way to Volterra. So, she was Marie and will stay that way for a bit while she's there.

* * *

**Chapter 20: Keep Your Friends Close But Your Enemies Closer**

Bella's POV:**  
**

"My name is Marie Rigas and I am a member of the Guardiani de Trevia. I have come here to form an alliance with your kind. However, I am told that the vampire you hold, Alice Cullen, is a vital member to our efforts. Should you harm her, I will see that as un-cooperation on your part. And _if _that happens…"

I was a blur of speed as I appeared before Aro, only inches from his undead flesh. Without thinking, I twisted Victoria's arm until a sickening crack reverberated throughout the room. She screamed out in agony and for a moment I felt myself waver. But I knew, as I locked eyes with his, that there was no room for error. "I _will_ kill you. Make no mistake about that."

Carelessly, I threw Victoria to the ground at Aro's feet. He stared back at me in shock, his sanguine eyes alarmed.

I took a step closer to him until our faces were mere centimeters apart. He had to know that I was not afraid of him. "There's your _messenger_," I seethed.

Aro stared at me for a few moments and then something flashed across his soulless eyes – as if his personality had all but changed in a matter of seconds. His lips curled into a smile and he released Alice's face only to clap the translucent skin of his palms together in delight.

"How wonderful," he sang. "Yes, yes, I heard you had our dear Victoria." His eyes glanced at her briefly as she tried to push herself away from his feet. "I hope she wasn't too much of a bother. We will be much more careful next time, I assure you. Tell me," he said, his voice frighteningly quiet. "How was it that you found her? I do hope she didn't go against my wishes and harm dear Isabella Swan. Although, I was rather hoping to see her here; as was another friend of mine. Edward, would you be so kind and come over here please."

I saw Alice back away slightly as Edward approached us in the middle of the small stage. The flames of candles danced across Aro's face as his greedy eyes stayed locked on mine.

I chose this opportunity to look behind him where the rest of his guard stood. There were two tall, ornate podiums in the middle of the dirt-covered ground that made up the small stage before the audience of vampires. Flames lit up both of the podiums, acting as vibrant torches that made frightening shadows against the walls. There were two beings, ones I could only guess to be Caius and Marcus, who stood next to the podiums, their eyes studying me carefully. Behind them, more vampires stood dressed in midnight robes. I noticed two smaller ones – children perhaps. One of them, a girl, seemed frighteningly enraged.

"What can I do you for you, Aro?"

I turned instantly at the sound of his voice. Edward stood next to me but kept his distance. His eyes never even once glanced at me. It was like having my heart ripped out and stomped on repeatedly. Edward didn't trust me. All this time, I thought he might have known… maybe…

"Edward," Victoria coughed, staring up at him desperately. "I never touched Bella. I didn't even see her – "

"Silence!" Aro hissed, the vibrant cerise of his irises practically glowing with fury. "What exactly did you see, Victoria?" He quickly flicked his gaze to me, licking his lips hungrily. "Would your grace protest to me reading her mind?" Slowly, he began to reach down, the insipid flesh of his hand dangerously close to her.

I reacted quickly, knowing exactly what I wanted Aro, and Edward, to see. Before Aro could lay a hand on Victoria, I shot my hand out beneath his, clutching his ice-cold grasp. "Why don't you read mine instead?"

He gasped in surprise but immediately focused his powers as his gaze bore into my own; both of his hands gripping mine hungrily.

_Bella, the covers of her bed clutched tightly in her hand, tossed and turned in the deep recesses of the night. She cried out, her skin coated in perspiration as Edward's name left her trembling lips repeatedly, calling for him to return to her. _

The vision flashed…

_Victoria stood outside of Bella's home in Jacksonville, beneath her bedroom window, listening to her cries. She ran for the wall, intent on climbing up, only to be hit on the back of the head and dragged through the darkness._

Another flash…

_Victoria awoke. Bars surrounded her, caging her within the dampness of a small basement. Her eyes refocused on someone who stood on the other side of the bars before her. The person walked closer, revealing herself as Marie Rigas. _

What Aro saw next, was an unraveling of events where I, Marie, returned to Forks to find the Cullens and convince them to come back to Volterra.

"Marvelous," Aro whispered, his gaze refocusing. "So you found her and in doing so saved poor Isabella's life. Now you've come back here to strike a bargain with me – with all of us. You even convinced the Cullen family to join our cause."

I swallowed, my jaws clenching tightly. "Yes."

"Did you hear that, brothers?" Aro called out to Marcus and Caius. "A Treviaron wants to make an alliance with us. This is most extraordinary, indeed."

Marcus kept his gaze lowered, but Caius' rich, blood-red eyes slid over to me suspiciously. "Extraordinary," he murmured.

"I want to see to it that your messenger's arm is properly healed. Carlisle is a doctor, correct?" I asked abruptly, releasing Caius' gaze.

Aro nodded.

"Good. Make sure that he takes care of her."

Aro clapped his hands once loudly and a larger, bulkier vampire was at Victoria's side in an instant. He hauled her to her feet and carried her over to Carlisle who stared at me unbelievingly.

I turned away from him in shame.

"Very well," I breathed. Alice's gaze bore through the side of my face and I knew that she felt betrayed somehow, whether she knew the truth of it all or not. "Aro, shall we take this elsewhere? We can discuss future plans and tonight I will make an announcement to everyone here."

"Yes," he agreed readily. "I think that's a very wise idea."

He turned to the crowd who waited expectantly and said, "Everyone is dismissed. We shall reconvene tonight at sundown." Spinning around to the back wall, he faced the rest of the guard. "Family, come join us upstairs." His sickly, thin hand outstretched to me as a gesture to walk ahead.

"No, please," I declined politely. "After you. I am a guest in your quarters and I will follow you."

Seemingly pleased by this, Aro moved ahead of me. My eyes betrayed me as I glanced toward Edward. His face was stricken as he stared at the ground. If he could produce tears, they would have slid down his beautiful features.

My heart burst as I felt a wave of oncoming sobs climb up my throat. I had to do something… say something. I knew I could, or at least attempt to, connect with someone's mind so that they could hear my thoughts. It was what I had tried to do with Alice in the school parking lot days ago. Before I left the underground arena, I gently, and discreetly, grabbed his wrist. Quickly, I forced myself to make a connection with him, allowing him the ability to read my mind.

_I'm so sorry, Edward. _

His body shook with quiet, invisible tears as I passed by him, feeling the flames of hell lick at my feet for what I had just done.

I followed the billowing midnight robes that clung to Aro's ghostly form. Whispers floated through the air, fast and harsh as the remaining vampires began to rise from their seats. There were thousands of them – a number I had never dreamed to be imaginable. My world of vampires revolved around a small family in Forks, Washington. Others would come and go, like James, Laurent and Victoria, but that was it. How naïve I truly was to believe there wasn't a far greater population of them than this.

As I headed for the exit, I noticed Jasper standing off to the side, watching Alice closely. He seemed worried and the sudden sensation of urgency washed over me. His eyes quickly slid over to me and then back to his love.

_Please be careful. _

To Edward, Jasper's thoughts would have been directed toward Alice but I knew whom they were really directed to. I nodded subtly and before I knew it, I was back out in the hallway with its molded, clay walls decorated with burning flames of hell. The torches were our only source of light and I suddenly felt myself surrounded by Aro's followers. It unnerved me greatly.

"There's an elevator just here," a sweet, lilting voice called from behind me. It was the voice from my nightmare.

Aro turned abruptly to the right, his hand gliding swiftly over an unseen control on the wall. A yellow light high above, in the shape of a triangle, lit up. It was the elevator shaft. "Why thank you, Jane," he mused. "I nearly forgot."

I kept my hands loose by my sides as we all piled into the small metal contraption. My fingers itched to ring themselves nervously, but I refused to show my insecurities amongst them, no matter how hard it seemed.

"I hope you don't mind close quarters," Aro teased lightly, his eyes glittering with pleasure. "I'll be sure to introduce you formally to my advisors as soon as we arrive in our own meeting hall."

"Of course," I said, my eyes sliding cautiously toward a tall, thin vampire to my left. He seemed poised but nervous, and was the only one amongst them who showed their true anxieties before me.

Soft operatic music sang overhead, increasing the tension around us.

Finally, a chime rung and the doors of the elevator slid open. I let Aro lead once more. Polished mahogany wood lined the walls of the hallway in which we had entered. It wasn't until I looked around at the bright landscape paintings that hung from the walls and the refined, hardwood desk that sat off to the right with a studious woman sitting behind it, that I knew this was some kind of reception area. The young woman glanced up at us and I looked back at her in alarm as I realized that her eyes were green.

She stood immediately, her hands frantically smoothing down her gray knit skirt. "Aro, Caius, Marcus," she said in turn, nodding at each lead member of the Volturi. Her eyes barely lingered over me.

"Gianna," Aro sang. "It's always a pleasure, my dear."

Still, I continued to follow him though my eyes constantly drifted back to the human behind her small desk.

"She is one of our assistants," he explained to me. I didn't say a word but nodded enough for him to see the motion out of the corner of his eye as he turned to glance back at me.

Soon we entered an ornate hallway where a set of golden doors stood at its end.

"Demetri. Felix." Aro chanted. I watched two of the vampires, including the nervous looking one from the elevator, walk briskly to a side paneling in one of the walls. The bulkier of the two, Felix, pushed it aside to reveal a plain wooden door while Demetri held it open for us to enter.

A quiet gasp left my lips as we crossed through the small threshold. Magnificent white porcelain walls, the color of fresh gardenias, encased the large oval room. I looked up as streams of golden light filtered through tiny slits near the dome-like ceiling. The glittering particles that floated through the air were like tiny suns, bright and waiting to burst with warmth. But they dissipated before ever reaching the ground.

Three onyx thrones, trimmed in gold, sat at the head of the hall. Their owners moved with the speed of sound, standing instantly at the thrones' sides. Aro positioned himself in the center, his anxious cerise eyes landing on me.

"Would you care to sit, Miss Rigas?"

I shook my head, watching as the rest of the Volturi guard flanked either side of their masters. "No, thank you. I will stand."

Aro nodded and gracefully took his seat. His brothers followed. I stood silently beneath the red sea of awaiting eyes. They all watched me, nervous and guarded.

"You must know that we are suspicious of your visit," Aro said, his voice almost a whisper. The quiet words floated in the stagnant air, coating my flesh in chills. "The last meeting between our kind and yours did not end very well, I'm afraid."

"You wiped out nearly half of our army, _friend_." His eyes widened in alarm at that. "I may be a new member to the Guardiani de Trevia, but I know of the damage you inflicted on my kind. However, I also know of the fateful powers of the eclipse and that was the only reason your kind ever won that war." I paused, taking a moment to glance up at the vibrant streams of sunlight pouring into the cold cavern of this tomb. "But it appears that Mother Nature is on our side for the present time." Turning back to face Aro's pallid features, I couldn't help but be pleased to see that he began to squirm in his seat. "Allow me to re-introduce myself. My name is Marie Rigas and I am the _new_ leader of the Guardiani de Trevia. According to the prophecy that brought me to this position, I am the most powerful member of the guard that has ever existed. So gentlemen, and lady," I said, sliding my eyes over purposefully to Jane. "Eclipse or not, it will take more than a thousand of you to bring me down. I want to make that quite understood before I discuss the reason that I am here."

Swallowing once, his hands tightly gripping the arms of his thrown, Aro nodded. "Of course. We understand fully. Please proceed, Miss Rigas."

Standing still became an agitation, so I began to slowly pace the floor before them. "I have been told that a group of you…" I glanced directly at Caius as I spoke. "… had made a special journey to Siberia recently. Your brother, Caius, was unfortunately injured during that excursion, am I correct?"

Caius' jaws locked, his eyes darkening a full shade as he glared at me.

"You seem like you've healed quite well, my friend," I observed, noting that nothing seemed to be wrong with him whatsoever. "You were very lucky."

He averted my gaze and at that moment, I let myself see into his mind. An image of his strong jaws widening and clamping down around a wolf's neck confronted me. And yet throughout the vision, I felt a pressure weighing down against my temples, as if someone were trying to block me from seeing the truth. Out of the corner of my eye, I noted the calm demeanor of the young male vampire within the group – Alec. He kept this gaze curiously focused on the floor.

"It would seem as if some of my powers are being blocked," I said suddenly. "Poorly, I might add." The three Volturi brothers stared at me curiously, seeming genuinely confused.

Without warning, I was at Alec's side, gripping his throat in my hand as I dug the nail of my thumb into his flesh. He gasped, startled. "I have offered to talk with you all in peace. However, I can happily change my plans."

"No," Aro blurted, a startled, forced smile gracing his thin lips. "No, that won't be necessary. We had no idea that Alec was trying to block you. I assure you he will be punished for his grave mistake." Aro's blood-red eyes were full of warning as he silently seethed at the younger vampire.

"Good," I snapped, dropping Alec to his feet. Jane stood by his side, a quiet growl issuing from the back of her throat.

"You're next," I hissed to her before walking away from them and back to the center of the room.

"I'm so glad that we can come to an agreement peacefully," I announced. "It would be such a waste for things to turn violently. I'd hate to involve your wives so soon."

Fear licked at the heart of every soulless creature before me and I smiled, humming in pleasure (all for show of course). Gabriel had told me that the Volturi wives were held in great respect and to threaten them would go a long way.

For the first time since I arrived, Marcus, the calmer of the brothers, finally spoke. His voice was deep and eerily soothing. "We will do whatever you ask of us, Miss Rigas."

I bowed slightly in his direction, pleased. "Thank you, Marcus. I do appreciate your understanding." Of the three Volturi brothers, Marcus was the one I feared the most. He had the power to sense relationships between people. If I let my guard down for even a split second, he would know exactly how I felt for Edward and his family.

"Now," I said, my voice rising as I spoke more seriously with them all. "I would like to discuss this impending war. As you all know, we govern not only vampires, but werewolves, shapeshifters, and all other mystical creatures. If the werewolves are planning a full-blown attack on your kind, we will stand by you. Our goal is to seek peace between the different species and we will do whatever we can to help you in any way. All I ask is to stay here and help with the preparation of your army and to find out any news on the wolves. I can send some of my own guards to different wolf clans to find out more information if need be."

After a few moments of careful consideration, Aro rigorously agreed. "Yes, your grace. After what we have done to your own kind, we can only be more than honored by your generosity and willingness to fight by our side. I will have Gianna show you to your quarters."

"Excellent," I smiled. "I will make the announcement to everyone at sundown, then."

At that moment, the soft creak of a door opened behind me and we all turned to the quiet steps of Carlisle Cullen as he gracefully approached us. "I am so sorry to disturb you. I only wanted to inform you that Victoria's arm is set and healing properly. She should be one hundred percent better before the day is over."

How I wanted to strip myself of this harsh, powerful exterior to run over to Carlisle and hide behind his fatherly protection. It felt as if his presence alone could fight the demons off around me.

"Wonderful, Carlisle. Thank you so much." I wished that he could understand the amount of gratitude I held for him in that moment. But as it were, he kept his gaze lowered and away from me.

Immediately, I turned back to Aro. "I would like to ask that Victoria be my personal assistant while I am here. She has been most helpful to us these past couple of weeks. You should be honored to have such a gifted messenger." And in that moment, I had just spared Victoria's life. Aro seemed surprised by my request but did not disagree with me.

"Of course we are honored and we would be even more so to offer her services to you. I will ensure that she be sent to your room tonight to take any orders you may have."

"I am grateful for your generosity, Aro." As Jacob would say, I was doing a hell of a lot of ass kissing, but it was vital that I do it. "Now gentlemen, if it is all right with you and Mr. Cullen, I would like to end this meeting and leave with Carlisle so that I may speak with his family. We have a few things to discuss, I'm afraid."

Aro looked from me to Carlisle, his gaze questioning. "We have no objections here. Carlisle, my friend?"

Carlisle seemed stunned for a moment but quickly recovered. "Not at all. I'd be most obliged to have Miss Rigas accompany me."

Internally cheering at his response, I bid my farewells to the Volturi, while Aro promised to have Gianna meet me within an hour to take me to my room. Carlisle and I quickly exited the large meeting hall and chose to keep quiet until we were within the confines of the elevator that carried us back down to the underground tunnels.

"Carlisle," I spoke quietly. "I want to apologize for what I have done. The betrayal that you and your family must feel… I just want you to know that I never meant to hurt you. I respect and care for all of you deeply. Please don't think that I would have ever wished any of this upon you."

"Miss Rigas – "

"Marie," I interrupted. "Please call me Marie."

He sighed; looking far older than he normally appeared. "Marie… while we do feel betrayed by what you have done, I for one can not hold any kind of grudge or hard feelings against you."

At my quizzical expression, he continued, his warm golden eyes soft and forlorn. "Do you not understand my appreciation for you? You saved Alice's life. I may not be her biological father, but I have been a father to her for a very long time. I couldn't stand to see another member of my family taken away. To Alice, I am the only father she's ever known."

"Wait… another family member?" Fear clenched my heart. Was there something I had missed?

"Why yes," he admitted softly. "I lost a daughter recently, in fact. You know her to be Isabella Swan."

And in that moment I looked away as my breath caught in my throat and a stray tear leaked from the corner of my eye. The Cullens had considered me family. Human or not, they loved me.

"Marie, are you all right?" he asked.

Clearing my throat, I quickly responded, "Yes."

The elevator chimed and opened its doors for us. I wiped the tear away as we left the shaft and entered the crisp coolness of the dark tunnels. The torches lit our way as I followed him through several turns and twists in the underground maze.

"How many vampires are here, Carlisle?" I asked him as we neared our destination.

"Thousands," he murmured. "To be honest, it's a number to large for me to even guess."

There was a door at the end of the tunnel and we stopped, Carlisle standing before it as his hand hovered over the knob.

"Are you afraid?" The words left me before I could even think.

He paused for a moment and then quietly whispered in the darkness. "Yes." The soft click of the doorknob alerted me that we were about to enter a different realm of vampires entirely. I readied myself but would never be prepared for this moment.

"Carlisle, you're back!" Esme's sweet voice danced outside of the door as Carlisle entered; a warm smile on his face.

"Yes, I am and we have a visitor."

He motioned for me to come inside, so I did.

Silence met me as I entered the lavishly decorated living room that held only a quarter of the space given to the Cullen family. Esme paused midway in her quest to reach her husband, her eyes wide. Emmett and Rosalie stood before an immaculate fireplace, their stances rigid with alarm. Edward sat on a crème-colored sofa, adorned with a Victorian floral pattern. He still couldn't meet my gaze but I noticed the way his fists were clenched tightly by his sides. Jasper had just walked into the room, a surprised yet grateful expression on his face. I wanted to run to him instantly. Alice was nowhere to be seen.

"What is _she_ doing here?" Rosalie sneered, tossing a paper she held in her hands into the flames of the fire behind her.

I cleared my throat nervously as I rang my hands in front of me. How strange it was that I could be so confident in front of the Volturi, but before the Cullens? I'd rather have the Earth open up and swallow me whole than explain myself to them. "I'm – I'm sorry to disturb you all. I just wanted to apologize for what I have done to you and – "

"Oh please," Rosalie sighed. "We don't want to hear it and quite frankly you're wasting your time."

"I understand you're angry –"

"Angry?" she snapped. "Angry doesn't even _begin_ to describe what we feel about you and your lies. I knew from the very beginning that you were trouble but we just _had_ to welcome you in with open arms, didn't we?"

A familiar tingle washed over my stomach in that moment as my heart rapidly picked up its pace. It was a feeling that I had grown accustomed to and longed to experience ever since he had left Forks for the second time.

Edward was finally looking at me.

I stared back at him, not knowing what to say or do. He was so beautiful with his hair the color of saffron, burning brilliantly like the flames of an uncontrollable fire. His eyes were so full of anguish and pain, clouded by a sea of guilt that raged a building storm in his darkening goldenrod irises. I wanted to smooth away the damage I had inflicted on his heart, but all I was left with was a still life of the man I fell in love with. His chest would never produce sound. The organ within it would never contract and pump vital fluid throughout his body. Even if it could beat for me, I don't think it ever would again. Not after what I had put him through.

"I never meant to hurt you," I whispered, keeping my eyes locked with his. "I could _never_ forgive myself…"

A sharp growl issued through Rosalie's lips and for a moment I thought she would actually attack me. The saddest part of all is that I wouldn't have stopped her.

"Rosalie," Jasper warned.

"Don't tell me you're sticking up for her," she seethed, her voice almost shocked by his reaction. But it was Jasper who surprised us all.

"I damn well _will_ stick up for her! How dare you question my feelings after she just saved Alice's life! Or did you forget about that?" He stepped dangerously close to her, not bothered by the protective stance that instantly took over Emmett's form. "She could have died, Rosalie! I felt it as soon as Aro put his hands on her."

"Enough!"

I turned to the sound of a small, melodic voice. It was Alice. She had finally appeared, looking more worn and tired than her usual perky self. Her tawny eyes were instantly locked on me. "Marie, can I have a word with you please?"

It took me a moment to respond but I quickly followed her out of the room and into a small hallway that held several doors. She led me to a door at end on the right, letting me enter first.

I realized then that this was she and Jasper's room.

"We each have our own rooms here," she told me quietly. "The rest won't hear us back here."

I gently fingered the black mesh netting that draped across the top of the four-poster wrought-iron bed. A portrait of the Madonna painted by Edvard Munch hung on the wall across from the bed above a large marble fireplace. The woman was nude, her long, raven hair flowing over her shoulders as she closed her eyes reverently. Her face oddly reminded me of Alice.

"It's like they've been planning this for a long time," she murmured, standing beside of me as we both inspected the masterpiece portrait before us. "They've been preparing for hundreds of years."

I sighed softly, knowing that she was probably right. "I'm so sorry, Alice," I whispered, feeling as if she deserved to hear my apology almost more than the rest. "I didn't mean to harm your family, I – "

"I know."

My eyes stayed locked on the painting but I could see the slight movement of her pointed face turning in my direction. She stared at me for a few moments silently and then finally, so softly, said, "Bella, I know."

Tears instantly filled my eyes and I felt her ice-cold skin against the heat of my palm. Her fingers thread through my own as she gently squeezed my hand. Eventually, she turned her gaze back to the painting, observing it but not really. "Until you decide to tell them, your secret is safe with me and Jasper."

A quiet whimper burst through my lips as tears slid down my face. Alice pulled me to her instantly, embracing me tightly with her small arms. "Oh Bella," she sighed. "Why didn't you come to me sooner? That day in the parking lot at school… I saw everything but didn't know when to finally tell you the truth."

I just proceeded to sob into the crook of her neck, soaking her designer shirt with my salty tears. There was nothing I could do but cling to her and let her absorb some of the pain I had endured for what felt like a lifetime.

After a while a quiet knock sounded from the other side of her door. "It's only Jasper," she whispered when I looked up in alarm.

Her strong soldier slipped into the room gracefully, the sunflower waves of his blonde hair bringing a warmth to the otherwise cold room. "Hello," he murmured, his gaze unsure as he approached us.

Still shedding bucketful of tears, I threw myself at him next. "How can I ever thank you for what you've done," I choked out.

Jasper's strong arms wrapped around my waist and he chuckled softly. "What did I do?"

"You were the only one who knew the truth for so long. I would have gone insane if you hadn't known."

"Shh…" His hand rubbed my back soothingly and Alice came over to place a hand on my shoulder.

"Jasper told me you couldn't tell Edward yet. He said something bad would happen to him if you did." Her eyes were questioning as she looked up at me still clinging to Jasper.

Slowly, I released myself from his embrace and glanced between the two of them repeatedly before finally speaking. Jasper and Alice were probably the only ones who could block Edward out completely. With the confidence and fear I had seemed to instill in the Volturi, I didn't think they'd try to infiltrate any of the Cullens' minds any time soon. "If I tell you this, you must not let Edward or the others find out. You two are the only ones who can block his gift."

"Of course," Jasper nodded, readily agreeing with me. "What is it, Bella?"

So, the three of us sat down and I told them both the truth, all of it – including the prophecy. Gabriel said that I could tell Edward and Jacob the full truth when the time was right, but I _needed_ someone else to know. Edward, especially, couldn't find out now that I had just arrived in Volterra. I had put myself through too much to try to win over the Volturi without risking everything.

"He's right," Alice said finally. "Gabriel, I mean. He's right about Edward. The Volturi would find out too easily if Edward knew. Unless you feel like you could mask his thoughts? Maybe block Aro's power?"

I sighed, idly picking at the silver comforter. "I could, but I feel like my energies need to be more focused on other things. I have _no_ idea what I'm doing. I'm basically just talking out of my ass."

This caused a snort from Jasper, who hummed in amusement. "You seemed to know exactly what you were doing in the arena earlier, Bella. You saved Alice's life."

"What were they trying to do to you anyway?" I asked, turning my gaze to the pixie who sat with her arm linked with mine. And in that moment I realized I had missed one important little detail. "Alice, I wasn't ready to keep Aro from your thoughts earlier. He _touched_ you and you knew who I was. Does he know?"

She shrugged and the smallest hint of a smile lit her features. "Aro looked into my mind and saw the vision I kept having of you. Only I couldn't really see you. I just saw a blonde girl with a blurry face. The only thing about you that was discernable was your eyes. Always violet," she said with an affirmative nod. "Because of what you are now, I don't have as strong of a connection with you anymore so I can't really _see_ you. Aro thought I was lying and threatened to kill me if I didn't tell him the truth. He knew I was blocking something about you." She shuddered, her gaze becoming distant as she stared at a random spot on the wall. "You should have seen how terrified he was when he saw you in my vision. You guys mean serious stuff to them, Bella. I've never seen the Volturi afraid of anything."

"Wait, how did you block him?" I asked, intrigued by how one of the most powerful vampires could be so easily fooled.

Alice grinned delightfully. "I may or may not have been reciting a certain song about popularity from Wicked."

I stared at her for a moment, my brain slowly contemplating what she'd said. "Seriously?"

Jasper ran a hand over his face, his body shaking in quiet laughter as Alice looked at me exasperatedly. "What?"

"I… well… Wicked? Really?"

"I liked the musical okay? I was panicked and the song came to me. Don't judge - ." But her words were cut short as her eyes glazed over and she sat up a bit straighter, her face blank.

"What is it, Alice?" Jasper whispered, alarmed.

She blinked and turned to me. "Gianna is coming here. Why?"

"Crap," I muttered, climbing off of the bed. "Aro told me he would send her after me to show me to my own room."

Alice and Jasper followed me to the bedroom door. "We'll escort you out. I've calmed Rosalie down as much a possible, but I can't promise anything. The rest of the family seems to be okay with you for the time being," Jasper explained. "I think the fact that you saved Alice earlier is the only thing keeping you safe from all of them right now."

I grinned sadly, knowing full well that what he said was true. We walked back into the living room in silence and just as Alice had predicted, a soft knock echoed from the other side of the door as soon as we entered the room.

Carlisle immediately went to open it, surprised to see who was waiting. "Gianna," he greeted. "Please come in."

Everyone else, minus Alice and Jasper, were just as shocked to the see the beautiful, timid human in their living quarters. "I'm sorry to disturb you all. Aro sent me to find Miss Rigas so that I may show her to her own quarters."

"Of course," Esme replied sweetly. She gestured behind her to where I stood.

I smiled but kept my gaze locked on Gianna. "Thank you for coming on time, Gianna. I will be sure to tell Aro that you did your job well." Moving as quickly as I could, I made my way to the door where Aro's assistant waited for me. But before I left, I turned around to face the members of a family I used to be fully apart of. "I'm sorry to have bothered you again. I shall see you all at sundown."

And with that, I left them be and followed Gianna out into the dark tunnels. She was quiet as we traveled up to the ground floor, only speaking once we entered the reception area.

"There's a staircase that leads up to another floor just around here," she said kindly as I followed her to a door in the corner of the waiting room just beside of a painted landscape of the gorgeous Italian countryside. "It's where I stay should the Volturi need me overnight."

"Oh," I said with some surprise. I didn't actually think she _stayed_ here.

Gianna giggled as we began to walk up a flight of stone stairs. "Well, seeing as how you have the same human attributes as myself, Aro saw that this wing of the building would be more fitting for you. You'll have your own bathroom and a kitchen."

"Wow," I muttered. "That's… very thoughtful of your master."

"He's a very thoughtful being," she replied.

At the top of the staircase was a landing. It wasn't extravagant, but there was a small end table that stood beneath a window that overlooked the plaza of Volterra. On top of the table was a vase full of roses the color of rich merlot, their petals full and bursting with intensity. A simple wooden door was positioned just to the right.

"Here we are," Gianna said cheerily as she pulled a key from her pocket and unlocked the entryway to what would now be my home.

Inside, a vast open area full of light laid out the first of the rooms. The walls were painted in white and there were large windows on either side with one set opening out onto a balcony that overlooked the plaza and the countryside beyond the city. A large painting of Da Vinci's "Leda and the Swan" hung on the main wall that was seen as soon as one entered the room. A small white and gray marble table sat beneath the portrait, ordained by an arrangement of forest green ivy that snaked it's way down the legs of the table.

"This is just the entry hall," Gianna explained. The kitchen and dining area are right back here." She led me into another room that branched off from the entry hall and I felt a smile creep across my face at the sight. It was a modern day kitchen with the most high tech appliances available. Sleek countertops and rustic colorful stones that lined the large, double oven made my heart thump wildly within my chest.

The dining area consisted of a bar in the center of the kitchen with a rack of wine glasses hanging from the ceiling overhead.

"Just through this doorway here is the master suite," Gianna called, briskly sweeping through the kitchen and into another room. "Come along now."

It took me a good two minutes to recover before I managed to find my way into the bedroom. This part of the area was shaped in a semi-circle with the bathroom located off to the side in an area that was built to be on the other side of the kitchen. The bed itself was covered in a fluffy white comforter with a sheer white mesh canopy flowing from the large four supporting posts. Windows surrounded the room, bringing in multiple streams of light. And of course there was another painting here as well, hanging just above the white marbled fireplace that was placed to the right of the main doorway – Claude Monet's infamous "Water Lilies" painting. It brought depth and brilliancy to the room.

"The bathroom door is just on the other side of the fireplace," Gianna pointed out. "Here's the key to the rooms. If there's nothing else I can do for you, I will be on my way back down to the reception area."

I slowly took the key from her, my eyes dancing around my surroundings in a daze.

Gianna smirked before she made her own exit out of the living quarters. "We live in style, do we not?"

"We do…" I muttered, walking around the room.

"Well, if you need anything, you'll know where to find me."

Soon after that, I found myself busy in the kitchen, fixing up a dish that was only appropriate and so unoriginal for the location – spaghetti. It felt odd trying to settle myself inside the enemy's lair, but it was also very difficult not to when they went all out like this.

The bed itself felt like heaven against my tired, aching bones and I soon fell fast asleep, my mind ready and willing to take a necessary break.

_It was raining. Fat droplets of water clung to the leaves as a soft cadence floated in the air above me. My hair was soaked, the wet tendrils curling at the ends._

_The forest was dark and I looked around myself, waiting for something to happen. _

_A twig snapped in the distance and I turned, yet there was nothing there – only several trees standing peacefully in the watery world where they now lived. _

_I felt, as I heard another crack from behind me, that I wasn't alone. But this time, I wasn't afraid. I knew whom to expect. _

_Turning around, the soles of my shoes squishing into the muddied ground, I came face to face with the familiar specter that haunted both my waking and sleeping worlds. Lukas smiled softly, his gray eyes shining brilliantly. There was no blood that stained his clothes. They were only wet like mine. Though he didn't look exactly like Edward, his hair was certainly the same shade, the same fiery bronze that made me feel at peace. For once in Lukas' presence, I was content. _

"_You'll be fine," he told me, his voice the chorus to the rain's symphony. Stained papers were clutched in his hands, their fine edges frayed and torn. _

"_What are those?" I asked, motioning to the documents. _

_He didn't say anything but merely stared at me in silence. The grin he wore was still held in place as if telling me that somehow I knew what those papers were. _

_And I did. _

_They held the prayer for Hekate that he had tried to chant during the last war. _

_Soon his body began to disappear with a chilling breeze that swept through my hair. His next words echoed around me as his voice was carried away, swirling amongst the trees. "Come find me." _

"Bella," came a soft, almost tentative, voice above me.

I stirred slightly, my eyes slowly fluttering open. Red hair was the first thing I saw.

"It's time to make your announcement," the voice spoke again.

Blinking several times to wipe the sleep from my eyes, I sat up and looked into the small, frightened face of Victoria.

"I just came here to tell you."

Instant guilt washed over me then. "Thank you," I said quietly. My gaze drifted out to the twilight-painted sky and I felt my heart swell and clench all at once. "I'm sorry for hurting you earlier. I hope your arm is doing better."

She looked up at me but said nothing.

Sliding off of the bed, I quickly changed clothes and Victoria followed me as we left my quarters high about the underground dungeon full of the undead. There was no need for me to change between Marie and Bella here – doing so would be too much of a risk. So I grew used to the blonde hair and the curvier hips, almost believing that this was my natural appearance.

The trip back down to the arena was short and quiet. Victoria didn't speak to me the whole way, but she stuck close to my side.

I could hear the unnatural hisses and chatter of Aro's army before we even entered the area. As soon as we passed through the small threshold, however, Aro turned with delight and clapped his hands.

"Welcome, welcome, Miss Rigas. I see Victoria is already assisting you. How lovely." He took my hand as I walked up to him and placed his cold, thin lips against my skin. Internally, I cringed.

The rest of his guard stood behind him, with Caius and Marcus at their usual places by the flaming torches. He gestured with one hand to the crowd before us and my eyes instantly found Edward. He stared back at me intensely, his nearly black irises drinking me in, and I found myself lost in his gaze.

The rest of his family surrounded him, but as my eyes began to drift from his face, I locked onto another familiar presence. This vampire sat farther away, but close enough to the Cullens that it confused me as to why they even sat so near to him. Laurent smiled down at me cynically, his vibrant claret eyes burning fiercely in the glow of the dancing flames behind me. There was another small group of vampires separating him from the Cullens, all of whom I had never seen before.

I was so shocked by seeing him that I almost missed Aro announcing my name to everyone there.

"Miss Rigas will now speak with you," Aro said, his high-pitched voice ricocheting off of the dome-like walls.

I stepped forward, shaking my head slightly to refocus and find my strength. Every time I had to do this, I felt as if I was channeling my own inner Gabriel – because if I was being honest with myself, I sucked at public speaking. Thankfully, my transformation had seemed to help in that department.

"Most of you have never heard of my kind," I said, my eyes scanning the room, drifting over each pale face. "And if you have, you were told to be afraid of us. You were right." Several whispers washed across the room like waves breaking against the shore and then they quickly receded into silence. "The Guardiani de Trevia governs all forms of mystical creatures. We are the physical embodiment of the Goddess Hekate and we do as her orders bid here on Earth. Rarely do we ever make our presence known. Only in matters such as the impending war you all face, do we ever step forward and into the light, exposing who we are. Now, what I have been told from your leaders here is that the werewolves are planning on attacking all vampires alike. I will be sending a few of my own guards on a mission to find some of the wolf clans to speak with them. If there's any way to prevent this war, we will find it. However, if not, then the Guardiani de Trevia would be honored to fight by your side. I will be staying here until we decide what the final outcome will be and I will help you all prepare for the possible impending battle. Should you need to find me, I will be staying up in the quarters above ground. Gianna or Victoria would me more than willing to show you there if you so requested. Are there any questions?"

Everyone began to immediately talk amongst themselves, their voices rushed, but not one of them asked me anything. I turned to Aro, leaning in close. "I believe that is all I will say for tonight. Tomorrow we can discuss future meetings and I would also like to discuss which wolf covens you all are suspicious of."

He nodded, seemingly pleased with the idea. "Very well, Miss Rigas."

For the next few minutes, I listened to Aro explain where and when the vampires could go out to feed. However, he had a vast supply of blood bags that he would be handing out over the course of their stay. There were too many vampires here to let all of them go out and kill as they wished. It would cause great suspicion amongst the humans and they couldn't risk the exposure of their kind. He also informed them that if one of them left the grounds without permission, they would be killed without even a second chance to redeem themselves. It was obvious that Aro and his brothers wanted to keep this as quiet as possible.

As everyone began to leave for the evening, I found myself being stopped by Carlisle. He stood with a tall, raven-haired vampire whose pale, olive-toned skin made me think that he was of a different culture. "This is Eleazar," Carlisle announced. "He used to work for the Volturi years and years ago. He and his family are very close to our own."

Eleazar bowed before me. "Your grace."

He had been one of the vampires who sat between the Cullens and Laurent. "Eleazar, it's a pleasure to meet you." I tipped my head in response as he straightened.

"My family is also here," he informed me, motioning to a small group of four female vampires who spoke casually with Alice and Edward. "My wife Carmen," he said, gesturing to a woman with an equally beautiful complexion and shimmering onyx hair. "And our three daughters; Irina, Kate, and Tanya. We also have a newer addition," he continued, his voice dropping an octave in distaste. "Laurent, who I believe once used to work with your assistant here, is now the partner of my daughter Irina."

"Oh," I said with equal shock and interest. "That's wonderful. I hope he treats her well."

Eleazar chuckled humorlessly. "As do I."

I spoke with them for a few minutes more but began to shift uncomfortably. Everywhere I stood, I could feel Edward's eyes boring down on me. It was too difficult to pretend like I didn't love him, to dismiss my desires and feelings, when all I wanted to do was run into his arms and never leave him… ever.

Victoria still didn't speak to me except to say goodnight as she left me at my quarters almost an hour later. It bothered me, but I decided that tomorrow I would talk with her and try to set her mind more at ease.

I didn't even bother to change as I collapsed onto my bed. Sleep controlled my mind as I drifted away, allowing the stresses of my life to dissipate for however long I was granted.

_The sun shone high overhead, spreading its warmth and light over the cheery peach colored building. Palm trees decorated the lawn on either side of the house – my house. I found myself walking around to the back yard where there was a small garden full of tomatoes and various colors of bell peppers. _

_Renee knelt before several wired cages, plucking at small red fruits that would fit perfectly in one of her salads. _

"_Mom," I whispered, a tentative smile lifting the corners of my lips. _

_Her chestnut hair fluttered in the wind around her sun-kissed, aged skin. The light in her brown eyes sparkled vibrantly as she filled the basket that sat by her knees. _

_She was beautiful. She was warmth. She was love. She was my mother. _

_And I missed her. _

_The back door to the house swung open and Phil, sporting his team's baseball cap, walked carefully toward Renee. The expression on his face was barely definable beneath the shadow of the hat's bill. A small black phone was held in one of his hands as he came to stand beside of my mom. _

"_Renee," he murmured. "Babe…" _

_She looked up, her wide smile wrapping around my heart comfortingly. "Hey honey, what is it?" _

_For a few moments Phil stared down at her in silence. His eyes seemed blank and his mouth failed to formulate words. Finally, he said, "It's Bella." _

_Renee stood up, brushing off the blades of grass that stuck to her exposed skin. "What do you mean? I just got a postcard from her the other day." _

_His eyes met hers and I found myself walking closer to them. The crescendo of my heart made it nearly impossible to hear what was said next. _

"_There's been an accident," he told her. "Bella… well she fell…" _

_Renee instantly placed a hand to her throat, her eyes becoming thick with tears. "Is… Is she all right? Do we need to fly over there?" _

"_She…"_

_I inched closer, afraid of what I was about to hear. _

"_Renee, she's dead." Tears streamed down his face as he quietly watched the changing emotions that danced across his wife's eyes. _

_Her gaze widened in disbelief as the clear liquid pooled around the brown irises. "What?" She backed away from him, her breathing accelerating. _

"_Mom," I muttered, feeling my hands shake uncontrollably as I tried to reach out to her. "Mom. Mom, I'm right here." My voice became louder as I watched her hands cover her mouth, her body doubling over as if in pain. "Mom, look at me!"_

_Every time I reached out to touch her it was as if she moved farther away. I couldn't do anything but watch her suffer. _

_She shook her head violently as sobs raked through her body. "No," she sobbed. "My baby girl… My baby…" _

_I reached for her again, calling out "Mom" once more, but she walked past me, reaching for the basket full of rich tomatoes. Within seconds she had thrown the basket roughly against the side of the house as a guttural cry broke through her lips and she fell to the ground, holding herself and rocking back and forth as if this was all just a very bad, horrible dream. _

"_Mom." My voice trembled as I fell to the ground beside of her, feeling soft keens of my own cries leak out into the sunlight sky. "Mommy… Mom!" _

_The scenery changed. I felt myself falling… falling until I smacked hard onto wooden floors. It was dark as I looked around, my eyes trying to adjust. I could hear voices from not that far away. One seemed to be muffled while the other was clearer. _

"_I'm sorry" and "your daughter" were the phrases I heard. Someone cleared their throat and an audible "what?" filled the air. _

_I knew that voice. _

"_No," I whispered, pushing myself up frantically as fear began to constrict my heart. "No, please no." _

_Getting up from the entryway where I had landed, I ran into the small kitchen that I knew so well. It was the one place that made me feel whole, where I could sort out my feelings without using words. All I had to do was cook… and there was only one other person who appreciated that more than anyone else. _

_Charlie stood beside of the small kitchen table, the phone still held to his ear, his face blank as his dark eyes stared blindly out of the window into the now setting sun. The silver can of Rainier beer slipped from his hand, its light amber liquid pooling on the floor by his feet. _

_Tears streamed down my eyes as I walked into the room, closer to him. I shook my head minutely, not able to formulate words. _

_The phone was the next thing to hit the floor. It created a resounding slap against the hard wood that echoed throughout the small home. _

_I reached a hand out to him and then pulled back. My voice was barely audible as I whimpered, "Dad?" _

_He looked down at the beer that littered the floor, seeping into the cracks and slipping away. His knees buckled as he sank down, the jean fabric of his pants becoming soaked with the foaming liquid that gurgled quietly around him. _

_There were no tears. No weeps or cries of despair. My father, the proud, brave Chief of Police, was lost. I knelt down on the floor beside of him, desperately trying to get his attention. "Dad? Can you hear me?" _

_He stared through me as if I didn't exist, and right now I truly didn't. _

"_Daddy?" I sobbed, feeling my throat constrict, making it more difficult for me to breathe. "Daddy, please…"_

_Yet, he didn't move. He was a statue, frozen in his silent anguish. _

_Sniffling uncontrollably, I moved closer to him, my voice practically screaming. "Dad! Daddy! God, look at me!" _

"Dad!"

I fell out of my bed with a hard thud, the marble floors bruising my elbows and knees. Water soaked both of my cheeks and continued to leak from my eyes. It drenched strands of my hair, making them cling to my flushed skin.

A loud knock resounded from the front door and I pushed myself up on shaking limbs.

For the first time, in a long time, I felt human again. I stumbled and tripped over the sheets that clutched my feet. I bumped into corners, crying out in pain and frustration as I blindly made my way to the entry hall where my visitor kept up with the relentless knocking. I even stubbed my toes just before opening the door.

Alice stood before me with worried, wide eyes. "Oh Bella, I'm so sorry," she whispered.

I felt myself slipping to the floor, too exhausted and hurt to even say anything back.

But her tiny hands gripped both sides of my face. "Bella, Bella, Bella," she chanted, her voice quivering quietly. It was then that I noticed her hands shook against my wet skin. "You need to get up," she murmured, frightened.

I looked up at her, unsure. "What's wrong?"

She breathed heavily and her chin trembled as if her dead body would produce tears at any moment. "I had a vision of Charlie finding out about your death."

I tried to look away from her, shutting my eyes tightly. Vomit began to crawl up the back of my throat.

"Edward saw it!" she blurted out frantically.

My heart stopped. My breath ceased and I opened my eyes, locking my gaze on her watery tawny orbs.

"I tried to stop him," she muttered, her voice fast and off key. "I tried to tell him that you were alive, but he didn't listen. Oh God, Bella, he was too fast. He just took off from us and I couldn't…" Alice gasped as her tiny body began to shake; yet she still held on tightly to the sides of my face. "Bella, he's going to sacrifice himself. He wants the Volturi to kill him."

A fresh wave of tears clouded my sight. I felt my mouth turn dry as my world came crashing down around me. "What?"

* * *

**A/N #2:** don't kill me


	24. Ch21: The Truth Will Set You Free

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing in this story except for my own little plot line and any characters you may not recognize. Everything else is property of the genius Stephenie Meyer.

**A/N: **My beta is amazing. Without her, I couldn't have made it this far. Luv you, Meggs.

Even before I began writing "Secret Prophecies," this was the update I had looked forward to writing the most. You all have been amazing with your support of the story and I can't thank you enough for sticking with it. So, this is sort of a gift to all of you readers out there. I think you've waited long enough for this moment.

* * *

**Chapter 21: The Truth Will Set You Free**

Edward's POV:

We weren't allowed to leave. Not without permission.

The moon was high, embedded in its ebony blanket of diamonds. It shone down on the city of Volterra – a beacon of light reaching out into the depths of waltzing shadows and hidden nightmares.

The scent of humans, warm and full of rushing blood, coated the air thickly. I closed my eyes and breathed in deeply, drinking in the smell, but my thirst did not increase. My throat did not scream in pain. The fires of hell no longer consumed me – they left me, forgotten.

My life meant nothing.

_She_ meant everything.

Now she was gone.

Opening my eyes, I stared up at the moon through the iron crosshatch of a sewer grate. I imagined that it was the same moon I would gaze at through Bella's window when I held her as she slept.

Starting tonight, I would never hear her heart beat again. Such a beautiful cadence of notes…

In life I couldn't save her, but in death I felt like I could.

In death, I wasn't a monster.

Slipping my fingers through the holes, I grabbed the edges of the grate and effortlessly moved it aside.

There was no longer a barrier now between me and the fortunes of the night.

I closed my eyes and smiled.

This had to work.

~*~*~*~

Bella's POV:

Alice stared at me with frightened, panicked eyes. Her hands had slipped down to my arms and her fingers dug tightly into my flesh.

"Alice," I choked out. "What is he doing?"

She shook her head, uncertain.

"What is he doing!" I shouted frenetically, gripping her tightly. "Alice, what do you see? You have to tell me!"

"Bella, I don't know!" she pleaded, tearless cries unnerving her voice. "Everything about his future is centered around you. I _can't_ see him."

"You saw Charlie," I stammered, my lungs fighting to expand as breathing became too difficult. "His future was centered around me too, Alice."

"I don't know, okay? I don't know why I can't see Edward. Visions about you are so sporadic now, Bella."

Yelling at each other would do nothing. I had to think fast.

"If the guards catch him, they won't kill him right away. He's too valuable and Aro will want to speak with him first," I reasoned, pushing both of us out of the door and slamming it shut. "Where were you when he found out?"

Alice looked from the closed door and back to me, swallowing thickly. "Our living quarters underground. Everyone else was getting ready to go after him when I left to find you. Jasper is trying to keep them calm but he's too upset for his powers to fully work."

"Okay…" I nodded, nervously running my hands through my hair and weaving the strands into frayed tangles. "We'll go to see them first."

"What?" Alice stared back at me as if I had grown a second head. And honestly, I couldn't blame her.

"Aro won't do anything to Edward without involving Carlisle. He respects him too much."

Alice nodded and didn't protest as I grabbed her hand. "Come on. We have to hurry," I murmured, worried for both her and for Edward. I had never seen Alice so upset before and it unnerved me greatly.

Together, we took off down the stairs, keeping our footfalls quiet as we raced back down to the underground tunnels. We passed by several vampires, quietly talking amongst themselves. A few watched us curiously but most looked away. They were too apprehensive around me, which is good because we didn't have time to stop and explain ourselves to anyone.

Before I knew it, I found myself back inside the Cullens' domain. All of them were standing in the living room; worried, frightened gazes on their striking faces.

Carlisle came to me immediately. "Have you seen my son? Have you seen Edward?"

"No," I said, my eyes darting quickly around the room at every vampire there. "No, I haven't. I was actually going to ask you the same. He didn't come back at all, did he?"

Carlisle merely shook his head as he shut his eyes sadly. Alice ran over to Jasper, throwing her arms around his broad chest.

"What about Aro or the other guards? Has anyone come to get you, Carlisle?" I was frantic at this point. If no one had come looking for him now, that wasn't a good sign.

"Why would they?" he asked me. "I may be respected amongst the Volturi, Miss Rigas, but they won't hesitate to kill a vampire who betrays them – respected or not."

Shit.

Gabriel told me once that I had the special talent of communicating with others across long distances. It wasn't something easily done by most, but I could do it. Shutting my eyes tightly, I focused on the thoughts that floated through the air. It was as if a hive of bees had burst open, buzzing and hissing their song in my ears. Vampires and humans – I heard all of their thoughts.

"What are you doing?" Rosalie screeched. "If you're not going to help us, then get out!"

"Quiet!" Jasper ordered, the tone of his voice menacing.

But Rosalie persisted, stomping her heals across the floor and successfully distracting me entirely. "Seriously, can you just explain to me – "

"Shut up, Rosalie!" I screamed, walking straight for her. I could see in the reflection of her eyes that my own eyes were terrifying obsidian pools. "I'm _trying_ to concentrate. I understand you have questions. I understand that you don't know everything, but right now I can't take the time to explain it to you." To be honest, Rosalie wasn't behaving absurdly. Her brother was in danger and she didn't know who the hell I really was. She had every right to be hostile toward me. But I was also trying to _save_ her brother and I couldn't do that with her bickering. Thankfully, I did pick up on a faint image of Edward walking amongst Volturi guards through the sewage tunnels.

Rosalie's face contorted into an ugly grimace as she bared her teeth. "Who the hell do you think you are? Why should you try to help him anyway? You broke him! You broke all of us by tricking us into trusting you."

I never expected to do it. I never thought it would be the right time. Even though there were consequences, even though my energies would have to be focused on more things, now was the time to show them.

Without breaking my gaze with her, I allowed myself to transform into my true nature – Isabella Marie Swan.

Gasps were heard around the room and I watched as Rosalie's eyes widened in shock. Her face smoothed into a look of disbelief. And for a few seconds, it was so quiet that the drop of a pen would have echoed around the room.

"I _will_ find him," I promised, feeling tears glaze over my eyes. "I will find him and bring him back."

Without looking at the rest of them, I turned, feeling the transformation into Marie take over my body before I left.

As I raced down the tunnels, weaving through the sea of the undead that parted before me, I heard Jasper murmur quietly to his family, "What you just saw? Forget it."

A flash of vibrant red zipped ahead of me and soon Victoria was at my side, following me to the elevator shaft.

"They've got him," she said matter-of-factly.

"I know."

We both entered the elevator and I nearly punched a hole in the buttons to get up to the ground floor.

As soon as the doors closed, I turned to her. "How much time do I have?"

She swallowed, the reflection of her alien, blood-red eyes moving across the metal surface of the doors as she turned to me. I wondered if she even felt sorry for me. Here I was, about to lose the love of my life, when she had already lost hers only because of me. I expected to see vengeance in her eyes, to hear revenge in her voice, but all I was met with was silence. Her face was devoid of any emotion.

"You'll need to hurry," she finally whispered. And at that moment, I thought I detected the smallest hint of sadness in her voice. "He doesn't have much time."

The elevator doors opened, the chime dinging loudly, and I pushed my way out quickly. Victoria followed behind me loyally. Who ever thought that I would create an alliance with such an enemy? Right now, I couldn't be more grateful for having her with me.

The closer I got to the atrium that hid the Volturi's meeting place, the less I could hear of the Volturi's thoughts. They all centered around Edward, but I couldn't pinpoint where they were taking him. Something wasn't right.

I skidded to a halt and spun around, meeting Victoria's gaze in alarm. She gracefully stopped before me, confused. "What is it?"

A familiar scene flashed across my mind and finally, I knew. Breathing heavily, I stared at her as a slow-burning flame of fear exploded into chills that spread across my flesh. "I know where they are."

_Flames danced along the walls of darkness, surrounding me. I could hear footsteps just ahead but was unable to see their source. A girlish laugh drifted into my ears, pulsing in the air. _

"_Just a little further," the chilling voice called. "Follow me." _

"I dreamt this," I choked out, racing past Victoria and back to the elevator. "Oh my God, I dreamt this." Tears freely fell down my face as panic danced its way through my nerves. I anxiously punched the buttons in the elevator, willing it to go down faster as Victoria slid in beside of me.

The yellow numbers above slowly lit up one by one. It was like counting down to Edward's death. Every second I wasted was one more second I could have had with him. Bile churned in my stomach and I swallowed down vomit as I began pacing through the small compartment.

Out of nowhere, strong arms embraced me tightly. I found myself locked in Victoria's hold, her head resting against mine. "You're going to be fine, Bella. You _will_ get there on time. Don't give in now. That was the mistake I made."

The doors chimed open and she pushed me through. "Go."

I didn't stop to turn back and look at her; there wasn't time. My heart pumped violently inside my chest and I felt weightless as my feet carried me swiftly down the tunnel. Before, it had been filled with vampires lingering after their meals. Now it was empty. Quickly, I pawed at my face, wiping away the evidence of my sadness.

"_Here we are," the voice said. _

_There was light, a sliver coming through a crack in a door. I stood before it, wanting to open it and yet knowing that I shouldn't. My heart pounded in my head; my blood aching to burst free. _

"_Open it," came a whisper by my ear. "You know you want to." _

The plain, wooden door gave way easily beneath my hands as I burst through. It was a frenzy inside the arena. The area was filled and I could hear the hisses and pleading cries of the Cullens as they tried to force their way to the stage. Several cloaked vampires stood before the audience, their hoods masking their identities. But there was one Volturi member I did recognize – Aro.

"This is an example for you all," he called out sinisterly.

"_Bella." _

_My heart stopped at the sound – such a familiar tune. Edward had said my name. My eyes searched the crowd frantically, trying to find him._

Pushing my way through, I found myself face to face with my nightmare. Edward was on his knees, facing the thousand pairs of scarlet eyes. Blocked from several Volturi guards, his family screamed for him but he kept his gaze to the ground. His lips were turned into a frown and his jaws were clenched tightly.

A memory raced through Edward's mind. I saw myself, a chocolate haired girl with large doe-like eyes, staring up at him. My arm was tucked beneath my chin as we laid on my bed. His hand rest on the curve of my thigh, his thumb drawing lazy circles gently over my skin. _"What are you smiling about?"_ he whispered, a hint of warmth and light seeping from his voice.

I tugged him closer to me, my lips seeking his as I thread my fingers through the bronze flames of his hair. _"You."_

Aro placed his hands on either side of Edward's face.

I could almost feel Edward's lips on mine as I saw our embrace in his memory. He stayed focused on that moment, ready and willing to die.

Aro's fingers curled around the curves of Edward's bones, and he pushed, sending a crack through Edward's skin that danced up the side of his face. "I love you, Bella," Edward whimpered as his neck was suddenly angled up in an unnatural way.

Within seconds, I felt cold flesh strain beneath my fingers. Aro's neck tightened within my grasp as I stood behind him. He instantly let go of Edward and grabbed for my hands, desperately trying to free himself as he choked and venom gurgled from his lips.

"Aro, my friend," I hissed in his ear, holding him tightly against me. "Why would you call for a private meeting without my knowledge?"

Felix rushed toward me, his burly frame a blur until his hand was fast approaching my arm. In his mind, I saw him snap the bones in two.

But I was too quick.

Releasing Aro and flinging him to the side, I ducked low, dodging Felix's clutch. Swinging my leg out beneath his feet, I knocked him to the ground. Felix rolled to his back, attempting to lunge up at me, but the sole of my foot connected with his throat, pinning him to the ground. I flexed my foot in such a way against his neck that a sickening crack echoed around the arena, making Felix cry out in pain, his eyes rolling back into his skull.

I looked up at Aro who clutched at his own neck, as if holding the ghost of my grasp. His claret eyes watched me, horrified.

"Give me a reason," I seethed, challenging him as I bent Felix's neck back further. "Give. Me. A. Reason."

"Y-Your grace" Aro stuttered quietly. "This was a matter of our own. We did not think it was something worth your time."

"_Everything_ you do is worth my time, Aro."

The guards watched me in fear, slowly drifting further away from me. They were too afraid to even attempt to help Felix or their master.

Aro straightened, fighting to find some semblance of dignity left. "Edward Cullen left our grounds without permission."

"Did he run off and kill someone?" I questioned, knowing full well the answer to that already.

Aro stared at me, dumbfounded. "No."

"I will not always be around you, Aro. Having vampires with similar powers as my own is crucial for your kind. I would have _thought_ that'd be important to you."

Barely a second passed before he realized the vast mistake he had made. It passed over his gaze like a shadow sweeping around the room.

"I understand your rules but you did not inquire with me first," I informed him. "I expect that you do so next time."

Releasing my hold on Felix's neck, I swept over to Edward, helping him up off the floor. Thankfully, his skin was beginning to seal but he tried to push away from me, whining quietly to himself, "No, please kill me. I want to die. Please."

"Not yet, Mr. Cullen," I whispered, dragging him away from the arena with me. Everything about me in that moment showed power and dominance but inside… I was cracking, breaking into powder and ash. Hearing Edward beg for his own death made my knees shake beneath me, and it took everything I had to not collapse on the ground with him and bury my face into the crook of his neck.

"You all are dismissed," I ordered. Victoria stood off to the side, a small triumphant smile on her face. "Victoria, make sure the Cullens are returned safely to their quarters."

She nodded and pushed herself from the wall as she sped over to Edward's family.

"You can't dismiss our meeting, Miss Rigas," Caius called out to me, his tone almost smug.

I halted before the door, my arm still tight around Edward's. Turning to Caius, I felt the obsidian ink swirling in my eyes as I glared at him. I smiled sardonically, feeling the hysteria that had been bottled up inside of me break free. "Unless you'd like me to kill your army right now, I suggest you listen to me." Straightening my stance before them all, I stared directly into Caius' gaze. "So, understand this – If you _ever_ betray me again, I will _end_ the Volturi."

I didn't waste time to hear his response, but quickly exited the arena, my body and mind more than willing to get away.

Edward immediately pushed against me as we stepped out into the tunnels. "No! You have to let me go back. You have to!"

"Edward, listen to me," I pleaded, grabbing onto his arms as he reached for the door, but he struggled against me, nearly knocking me to the side. "Stop it!" Planting myself before him, he stared at me hard, hot white anger coursing through his limbs.

Instead of fighting with me anymore, he dropped to his knees. "Do it," he insisted, his onyx eyes staring back up at me, beseeching.

My voice was barely a whisper as I stared down at him, confounded. "What?"

His whole body shook but he tightened his fists on either side of his thighs. "Kill me," he issued through clenched teeth. "Kill me!"

"Edward!" I fell before him, my hands desperately reaching up for his face. "Edward, stop this."

"No!" He grabbed a hold of my wrists tightly, his chest heaving as a growl ripped through his lips. "Just do this! You said you cared about me, Marie. Well, do this for me! This is all I ask!"

Tears slipped down my face as I placed my hands gently on his cheeks. His fingers still wrapped around my wrists tightly as I leant forward until our foreheads were touching. I could feel the cold, hard spurts of his breath against my lips.

"Oh Edward," I murmured. And that's when it happened. A connection was created between us and I allowed him to see everything. My life from the moment I first met him until now passed through his mind. A startled, quivering gasp left his lips and he pulled away slightly to look at me.

Slowly, his hands released my wrists, his fingers shaking as they sought purchase on my face. My shoulders shook as a sob climbed up my throat. I never wanted to move from this spot, but I knew the Volturi and their army would be leaving at any moment.

"Come on," I whispered, pulling him up with me.

I don't know what I was expecting, maybe to keep playing the roll of the strong, Marie Rigas until we could get up to my room. But Edward curled me into his side protectively and led the both of us quickly to the elevator. My hands gripped the fabric of his shirt as I clung to him. Like lungs need oxygen to function and arteries need blood to pump, I needed Edward to stay alive.

For so long I had lived in the shadows, hiding away from him. Even now, I was afraid that this was all a dream – that he really did leave me in Forks all those months ago, and worst of all, that he didn't love me.

But I pushed all of that aside and buried my face into his chest as we entered the elevator. Even after we exited onto the ground floor, I was mute, walking blindly beside of him. From the thoughts I gave him, he knew exactly where my quarters were and didn't break contact with me as he led me up the stone stairs.

Seeing the door to my rooms, I dug into the pocket of my jeans for the key and quietly handed it to him. Edward took it and quickly let us inside.

The night air was cool. It danced around the sheer white curtains of the windows and fluttered pieces of my hair against his shoulder.

And then he was gone.

I looked up, panicked, only to find Edward a few feet away from me, his eyes wide in shock. "It's really you," he whispered.

Brown hair swirled around my shoulders and I realized that at some time during our journey here, I had turned back into my normal self.

"Bella," he whimpered, his voice pained as he slowly walked back toward me. "I thought… all this time…"

As soon as he reached me, he fell to his knees, his eyes roaming over every part of my body, memorizing all of the lines and curves. The beautiful features of his face twisted into agony and for a moment I thought tears would produce from his eyes.

A strangled cry left my lips as his arms snaked around my waist, pulling me to him. The side of his face was pressed against my stomach as his body shook with tearless sobs.

Drops of salty water fell from my chin, landing in his copper hair. Threading my fingers through the coarse, messy strands, I held him to me. And as the moon shone through the window from the Volterra midnight sky, I closed my eyes and wished to never leave his side again.


	25. Ch 22: Lie To Me No More

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing in this story except for my own little plot line and any characters you may not recognize. Everything else is property of the genius Stephenie Meyer.

**A/N: **I apologize for the long awaited update. School has seriously been sucking up my entire life, so I'm sorry this wasn't posted sooner for you all. Big thanks to my beta, **twi-ction**. She's amazing. ;) Also thank you so much for your kind reviews and I hope you enjoy this next update! **  
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**Chapter 22: Lie to Me No More**

Bella's POV:

_The night air was cool. It danced around the sheer white curtains of the windows and fluttered pieces of my hair against his shoulder._

_And then he was gone._

_I looked up, panicked, only to find Edward a few feet away from me, his eyes wide in shock. "It's really you," he whispered._

_Brown hair swirled around my shoulders and I realized that at some time during our journey here, I had turned back into my normal self._

_"Bella," he whimpered, his voice pained as he slowly walked back toward me. "I thought… all this time…"_

_As soon as he reached me, he fell to his knees, his eyes roaming over every part of my body, memorizing all of the lines and curves. The beautiful features of his face twisted into agony and for a moment I thought tears would produce from his eyes._

_A strangled cry left my lips as his arms snaked around my waist, pulling me to him. The side of his face was pressed against my stomach as his body shook with tearless sobs._

_Drops of salty water fell from my chin, landing in his copper hair. Threading my fingers through the coarse, messy strands, I held him to me. And as the moon shone through the window from the Volterra midnight sky, I closed my eyes and wished to never leave his side again._

The side of his face pressing against the curve of my stomach was a welcomed weight. His hair was curled and twisted between my fingers, the thick strands rough to the touch. Large hands splayed out against the small of my back, sending delicious chills down my spine.

I relished in the feel of Edward against me. I memorized every pressure, every touch that he emitted.

"Bella," he whispered, his lips moving against the fabric of my shirt. "I missed you so much."

Reality set in then, like a cold slap hard across the face. What had we done to each other? He lied to me and I to him. Our charades nearly cost us his life. The despair I felt from seeing him nearly die, taken away from the world forever, rammed into me at full speed. I stumbled backwards, falling away from his grasp.

"Wh… What were you thinking?" I stuttered, tears slipping down my face as I frantically ran my fingers through my hair. "Edward, you could have died! Why would you do that? Why?"

Hysteria snipped away the last sane nerve in my body. I began seeing my nightmare intermingled with the very real horror I had witnessed only moments ago. Shaking my head, I began sobbing uncontrollably. "You… You're so stupid, Edward! Why would you die for me? Why did you try to kill yourself?"

Edward stared at me in shock, his ebony eyes wide as they followed my every move.

"Oh God, what would I have done? If I have had kept this from you longer, you wouldn't have believed me. My nightmare… you would have died…" I made no sense. Strings of words left my lips at an alarmingly fast rate, yet I couldn't bring myself under control. "What… What i-if you had died? It would have been all my fault," I bellowed, gut-wrenching cries shaking me to the core. "All my fault…"

"Bella," Edward whispered reverently, instantly standing before me. His hands reached up to caress my cheeks but I pushed them away.

"Why did you leave me?" And that's what my pain had really come down to. That was the boiling point that would make me explode. Edward had left me. Regardless of his feelings for me now, he left me all the same. Feeling almost a year's worth of pain and anguish twist my heart and pound against my flesh, I threw my fist into his chest – not hard, but enough for him to know how broken I truly was. "You just left, Edward." Gritting my teeth, I pounded my fists against his hard flesh several times more until my body went weak in his arms. The worst part of all of it was that he let me hit him without fighting back. He just stood there, holding me against his chest in silence. Tears soaking his shirt and hair matted against my face, I stared up at him. "You made me believe that you didn't love me." My words were barely above a whisper as I spoke. The salty liquid from my eyes was strong against my tongue. "You made me believe I was never good enough for you."

Edward wrapped me tightly in his embrace as he pushed his forehead against mine. "Read my mind, Bella," he murmured.

I sniffed quietly as his thumbs swept away the tears across my cheeks. "What?"

"I want you to read my mind," he repeated, voice hoarse. Then, for a brief moment, he smiled. "It's strange to think that you have the same power I do now."

But I couldn't smile in return. I could barely keep myself from falling completely apart.

"You need to see what I went through when I made the decision to leave you," he whispered.

Hands trembling, I placed them on either side of his face. Taking in a deep breath, I allowed myself to focus on his thoughts alone. Moments flashed before my mind – dancing images of the two of us. I saw his fear for me when he stopped Tyler's van from crashing into me in the parking lot. I felt his panic when he found out that James had tricked me last year, and the suicidal thoughts he had when he thought I wouldn't make it. That was truly his downfall. Every thought since then carried a hint of worry that some day, somehow, he wouldn't be able to protect me because of what he was. And when my birthday finally came around and Jasper nearly attacked me, he realized it was too dangerous for him to stay with me. I was human. I was fragile. But he loved me. He loved me more than anyone has ever loved me in my entire life.

A particular memory of his passed through my mind. I recognized the dark blue shirt that he wore as he drove down the highway, his gaze hard… blank. The way his face was set in determination, the way his eyes held no emotion, the way he carried himself as if everything he did was mechanical, it all was so devastatingly familiar. This was the day he left me.

Alice sat in the passenger seat, her eyes carefully scanning the receding tree line. _Jasper didn't mean it, Edward. He feels terrible for the pain he's caused you._

The knuckles of his fingers turned an ivory white as he gripped the steering wheel.

When he made no attempt to acknowledge her thoughts, Alice turned to him, her face solemn.

_This is wrong. You should go back to her. Edward, you _need_ to go back to her. _

Still, Edward stared straight ahead, his eyes following the yellow lines in the pavement.

"Say something," she finally spoke.

More silence emanated through the small Volvo and Alice clenched her teeth in frustration. "Ever since we left you've done nothing. If it weren't for your emotions, we would have truly believed you wanted to leave today."

More thoughts flooded Edward's mind. All of them were from his family in the cars behind him and all of them were in turmoil about what they were doing.

"You think this will be so easy for her, Edward, but it won't," Alice spat, her voice nearly hysterical. "She loves you. Don't you see that? She'll _always_ love you and you're just throwing it away!"

The car screamed in protest as Edward threw the weight of his foot against the brake. Dirt kicked up beneath the tires as he haphazardly veered the car to the side of the road. There were no humans around for miles and in moments, he had leapt out of the car, racing into a patch of evergreen woods where a flock of grackles took flight into the dreary afternoon sky.

Fingers digging into stripped wood, Edward gripped the trunk of a tall pine, uprooting it from the ground and launching it several feet away. It crashed violently into another tree and the sound of wood cracking in two ricocheted around him. A guttural cry burst through his lips as he sank to his knees on the damp forest floor. For over a hundred years he had waited for Bella, and now he had given her up all in the name of making her happy.

"Edward." Alice had silently knelt before him, her eyes soft and full of worry.

"You all know nothing!" he yelled, clutching the tattered strands of his hair. "All of you have been paired from the beginning. You don't know what it's like…"

"But you could be too," Alice pleaded, reaching for him.

Edward jerked away from her, his face drawn in agony. "Don't presume to tell me what I can and can't have. I'm a danger to her, Alice. I need to know that she can live a happy, normal life without me in it. If I can't have that, then what else is there?"

The vision was brief, but it left my heart shattering into thousands of miniscule pieces. It was like reliving the same pain and heartache I had experienced that day. The pieces of my heart had been put back together but the glue that held them was not sturdy. My heart would always be damaged. Now, seeing what he went through had lessened the pain to some extent, but I would never be whole.

I shut my eyes tightly, loosening a few more stray tears. "You could have talked to me about this," I whispered.

"You wouldn't have understood. Imagine it, had the places been switched."

My hands slid down his neck, over his shoulders and down his chest. "But Edward… they were."

Frowning, he pushed strands of my hair away from my face. Deep down he knew what I meant.

"I'm not human anymore, Edward. Everything I've had to do so far up till now has been a risk. I couldn't involve you so soon and maybe it was wrong of me to tell you the truth now, but I couldn't chance losing you. Every day it drove me nearly insane to see you and not be able to tell you the truth. I wanted to so badly, Edward."

He shushed me and kissed the tops of my eyelids, making me gasp quietly.

"I'm so sorry, Bella," he breathed. "Had I not left, this wouldn't have happened."

"Stop it," I demanded, voice shaking. "This would have happened whether you left me or not. We wouldn't have been able to fight it."

Tremors shaking through my limbs, speeding between the layers of muscles beneath my flesh, I gripped the distressed fabric of his shirt. "I'm sorry," I muttered, breathing in gasps around the tears. "I'm so sorry. Edward, I'm – "

He ducked his head down, his lips claiming my own and officially silencing my pleas. And suddenly, I found myself back in the meadow, feeling Edward's arms around my waist as the warmth of the sun beat down on our skin. There was no warmth here, in Volterra, but I found solace in his presence. I found love in his embrace and the startling realization that he was real and here with me as his frozen lips moved against mine.

"No more apologies," he whispered, his words washing over my mouth. "Just be with me… Bella."

"I've always been with you."

"Somehow I knew it was you, but I couldn't bring myself to hope," he breathed, his arms lifting me up until my legs found purchase around his hips. We kissed, relishing in the feel of each other once more, memorizing the fluidity of our lips moving together.

I felt a soft breeze sweep past my face and when I pulled away from him, we were within my bedroom. The moon's luminescent glow swept across the floor, bathing our forms in its incandescent light.

I lowered myself back to the floor, my eyes staying connected with his. "Stay with me," I breathed quietly, pulling him back to the bed.

As a human, my hormones always took control of my body when it came to Edward. But tonight, after being apart from him for so long, I didn't want to spend time seducing him. I just wanted to _be_ with him, talk with him, hold him.

We settled down amongst the cotton sheets, simply staring into each other's eyes. I let my gaze trace the lines of his face, the curves of his jaw and the smooth slope of his nose and lips.

"Your eyes are different," he spoke, a teasing grin playing at the corners of his lips. "That's something I'll have to get used to." He reached out a hand, placing it against my chest where my heart beat violently. I watched as he closed his eyes, relieved. "I missed this," he whispered. "I missed _you_."

Pulling him to me, I pushed my forehead against his. "There's so much I wanted to tell you and couldn't."

He breathed in deeply, his onyx irises glistening in the darkness as he looked up at me. "Then tell me now," he said. "Everything."

The next several hours were filled with quiet words and soft caresses. I told him everything that I could, even though he had already seen most of it in my mind earlier. And when I spoke of Charlie and Renee, he held me and let me release more of my tears, even when I didn't think I had more to give.

"They will always love you, Bella," he whispered, running his fingers slowly through my hair. "And they know you loved them. Remember that."

Sometime during the dark hours of the night, I fell asleep.

Interchanging visions of Edward and Lukas haunted my dreams, stabbing my mind with pain and sadness. And when I dreamt of Edward kneeling before me in the woods, the tall blade of a sword ready to strike down against him, I woke up with a blood-curdling scream.

My name was being repeated anxiously in the darkness and I suddenly felt cold hands against my sweat-drenched skin. Gasping, I frantically clutched the hands that held me. "Edward? Edward!"

"I'm right here, shhh…"

Edward had me flush up against him within a matter of seconds, his arms enclosing around me tightly. "Shh… Bella. I'm here, it's okay."

My fingers dug into his marble-like flesh as my eyes darted around the room, frightened. Why were the nightmares still there? I almost lost Edward before; I couldn't handle it if I were to go through that again.

He held me like that for almost an hour, asking once what I had dreamt about. But I was too horrified for words. My grip only tightened on him more and the minute he felt my hot tears soak his shirt, he asked me nothing else. It would have been so much easier to tell him through my mind, but I couldn't let him see the terrors that plagued me.

Eventually, he had lulled me back to sleep with the lilting song of my lullaby soft on his lips.

It wasn't until much later when Edward's musical voice drifted into my dreams, rousing me from my black reverie of peace, that I opened my eyes. "Victoria's here," he murmured, lightly stroking my arm. "She's waiting for you in the kitchen."

Slowly, I sat up, rubbing away the evidence of sleep. I grinned at the hardened, worried expression on his face. "She's not going to bite me, you know," I teased.

"Maybe not," he muttered. "But before you changed, she had every intention of doing so."

A shrill 'hmmpfh' echoed from the kitchen and I rolled my eyes.

"I'll be back," I murmured, bending down to lightly kiss him before climbing out of bed. His hands lazily fell from my hips as I moved over him.

Victoria stood by the bar, her cerise eyes focused on the floor. She looked up at my approach. "Did you have a good night?" she asked, a small smile coloring her features.

I shrugged, crossing my arms. "Of sorts. You?"

"Hunted," she stated matter-of-factly. "Aro wants you to meet with him this afternoon and I'd tell ol' Romeo back there to get back to his quarters. Fast."

Edward was by my side in an instant. A growl rumbled deep within his chest as he glared at her. "Why?"

Victoria glanced at him, her eyes roaming over him quickly before returning her gaze to me. "Jane and Alec have been sent to speak with the Cullens. They'll be there within the hour."

Edward grabbed my arm gently. "I need to go," he whispered in my ear, his voice tortured at the idea. I couldn't say I'd sound much different. The thought of him leaving me was almost too much to bear.

Silently, I nodded and thread my fingers through his, squeezing his hand. "Go."

He swept past us, intent on reaching the front door.

"Edward," Victoria called out.

Edward stopped in the entryway and turned around. His eyes held no emotion when it came to looking at her.

"Not that I really care what happens to you, but when was the last time you fed?"

I stared at the purple bruises beneath his eyes. His porcelain face was sunken in around the bones of his cheeks and the color of his lips had nearly drained away. "Edward, she's right," I said, walking toward him. "Your eyes have been black since I got here."

"I'm fine," he told me, his voice stern but quiet.

"No, you're not," I argued.

Victoria was next to speak. "You know what will happen if you wait too much longer. Bella won't be able to save you so easily next time, _Cullen_," she spat. "Even more attention will be drawn to her and you'll be to blame for that."

I shot a deadly glare over my shoulder at her and her jaws clenched automatically. Slowly, I turned back to Edward. His eyes were cast down in despair and guilt. "Edward," I whispered, placing my hands on either side of his face. The hollows of his cheeks were more easily defined beneath my fingers. "You need to go hunt. Take Emmett and Jasper with you. I'll make sure you have permission to leave. Promise me?"

He nodded with a heavy sigh, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "I promise," he murmured, kissing my temple. "Can I see you tonight?"

My answering kiss seemed to be enough. He gave me a small smile before turning around to finally leave.

It was still early enough that Gianna wouldn't be at her desk yet. I listened to the sound of his feet against the floor until he was too far out of earshot. When I was sure he had made it back to the tunnels safely, I turned to Victoria.

"So… what did I miss?"

~*~*~*~

The chime of the elevator sang above me as the metal doors slid open. I entered the underground tunnel, feeling the cool air sweep past me as my eyes darted from vampire to vampire. Some of them I had recognized at the previous meetings but they all made sure to stay clear of me. Their thoughts alone were of distrust and alarm.

My pace was quick but not frantic. From what Victoria told me, Aro had gathered the guard for a meeting of their own after I had left with Edward. They discussed Edward's behavior and whether or not they _should_ just let it go. Caius was hell-bent on punishing him but Aro continued to silence his words abruptly. He was too frightened of my reaction to their decision in the arena. He didn't trust me but he knew my kind would be helpful in this war. Not only that, he certainly didn't want to risk the bloodshed of his own people should we change our minds to help them. Instead, Aro sent Jane and Alec to speak with the Cullens and to warn Edward that if he should leave the area without permission again, they would make sure to kill him, regardless of whether I was around or not. This had pleased Caius but Aro also made sure that I would be included on any similar decisions that they made in the future.

I had expected the twins to be more than willing to speak with the Cullens, a little smug even. What I hadn't expected was for them to go against Aro's wishes and overstep their boundaries once they arrived.

Instantly, my head was enveloped by something heavy – a pressure that pushed against my temples. My heart began to race as I realized what was about to happen. Alec had disabled them, stripping them of their senses and abilities. He and his sister did not share Aro's ideals in leaving Edward unscathed. They wouldn't kill him but they felt that he should suffer the consequences of his actions, his family included.

I broke out into a full on run, racing against the small amount of time I had before all hell broke lose inside the Cullens' domain.

Using my senses, I honed in on the ones I cared most deeply about.

"If Aro merely sent you to deliver a message, I wonder why you have decided to disarm us." I could hear Jasper's voice as he spoke to the young vampiric children.

"Protocol," Alec replied smugly. "For precautionary measures… you understand." It wasn't a question but a statement – a fact; and I could almost feel the animosity radiating off Jasper and his family. His powers may have been stripped, but I knew they were greatly unsettled by this.

"Friend," Carlisle interjected, his voice welcoming and calm. "We understand fully and do not wish to cause anymore trouble. Please, what is it that Aro wishes us to hear?"

"Aro's message is for Edward," Alec told them casually. "It's rather boring, really."

"Boring indeed," a small musical voice echoed.

I instantly knew that it was Jane and my skin hummed with anxiety. It was almost palpable. Jane, above all else, respected Aro and carried out his exact wishes. _She wouldn't really be planning to go against that would she?_ Even as I questioned her motives, I knew the exact answer. She would.

"Edward," Jane beckoned and I could almost imagine a sardonic sneer gracing her lips as she looked at him. "I'm sorry, but this must be done."

"What must be done?" Emmett growled.

I had pushed through the door of their rooms, breaking it off of its hinges in my haste, just as Jane uttered the word, "Pain." Without thinking, I projected her power back on her, letting the fire and flames eat their way through her flesh as she buckled to the ground.

Her screams amplified around the room and I had no doubt in my mind that every vampire within the vicinity could hear them. It was something I would have to explain to Aro and his brothers, but in that moment I didn't care. It was either she or Edward. There wasn't even a choice in the matter. "You _will_ feel your own suffering," I hissed.

Alec stepped back, alarmed – everyone did.

I lowered myself, crouched down beside of Jane as her body bent and twisted in ways it never should. She cried out in agony as the heels of her Mary Jane shoes dug into the hard surface of the floor. It only took one word to ease her pain, to stop the torment that I inflicted on her every limb, but I didn't want to say the word. I didn't even want to think it. All I could do was stare at her, letting the waves of pain she issued on so many others beat down against her. Her small hands gripped the side of her head and the veins in her neck were more pronounced as her back arched up off the ground.

"Marie."

It was Carlisle's soft voice that distracted me. I looked up at him, startled. There was a small hint of triumph in his eyes, but it was overshadowed by his remorse. He would have never wanted to see his family, including me, torture anyone. It was against everything he worked so hard for. Though, I understood him, I could not feel ashamed for my actions. I would gladly repeat what I did a million times again if it meant protecting Edward and his family. Turning back to Jane, I finally ended her suffering. "Stop."

The room became deafeningly quiet, with the exception of her heavy breaths as her chest heaved up and down with effort. Alec moved by her side quickly, scooping her up in his arms. Jane immediately turned to me, her claret eyes wide.

"When I said you'd be next, I meant every word," I seethed, my voice low. "I never go back on what I say and I'd advice you to never go against your master again. Trust me when I say he'll find out what you've done."

She cringed within her brother's arms and allowed him to lift her up. She couldn't do anything but rest her head against his shoulder and stare blindly ahead of her. The pressure in my head had instantly ceased in the moment I had inflicted pain. So it didn't surprise me when a wave of calm settled around the room.

Jasper had moved closer to me but still gave me my space. I was truly grateful to have him there. An unsettling feeling had begun to stir deep within me and I was afraid of what Edward thought at seeing me act in this way. I couldn't even look at him.

Watching Alec as he held his sister close only amplified my inner turmoil. His eyes were frightened, but I reminded myself that I never intended to take that fear away from him. No more would the Volturi try to betray me.

"We will go see Aro now," I said, my voice devoid of emotion. Without taking my gaze off of the twins, I spoke deliberately to Carlisle. "I will be returning to see your family soon. Expect my visit within an hours time."

And then the three of us were gone, blurring out of the Cullens' living room and back into the underground maze. I could hear Jasper struggle to close their door to the best of his ability and I realized then, that I had damaged it beyond repair. That was the only part about my visit that I actually felt truly guilty for.

Whispers floated through the tunnels at the sight of the "fair one" as weak as she was. Though no one dared question me about the event. They all heard Jane's torment.

It didn't take long to reach our destination. Victoria was already waiting for us by Gianna's desk and spoke not a word as she followed us toward the main hall. The golden doors seemed overbearing and powerful before us, but I opened them easily without a hint of trepidation.

Aro was already halfway to us the moment he saw Jane in her huddled position.

"Bring them all here," I ordered before he could issue a word. He turned to me, almost daring me to continue but too afraid to speak against me.

"Your grace – " he began.

"Bring. Them. Here," I dictated, my words puncturing the tension that lay thick in the air. "I want your guards to see this. All of them."

Moments later, the atrium of the main hall was filled with cloaked vampires, their eyes suspicious and as red as the devil himself.

Caius was livid but chose to keep his voice hushed. Aro didn't know what to expect but stayed close to Jane and Alec, his gaze never leaving me. Marcus rarely ever showed interest in the events before him but he had straightened up in his seat, his eyes locking onto my own.

"I want you to understand something," I said, turning to Aro. Before he could react, I had grasped his cold hand in mine, letting him see what had transpired only moments ago. He gasped, slowly turning to Jane.

"My dear girl," he whispered, astonished. "Why did you go against my wishes?"

Jane couldn't speak. She merely shook her head as her brain tried to compute what had happened to her.

"Master, we didn't believe that Edward Cullen should be left unpunished for what he did," Alec spoke, swallowing thickly as Aro's greedy eyes turned to him. "We had no intention of ending his life but we wanted him to be clear that we would make no exceptions if it were to happen again."

"A right choice," Caius remarked.

I wanted to rush over there and snap his neck but forced myself to remain where I was. My fists clenched tightly by my sides as I glared at him.

Marcus watched me curiously but said nothing.

"Jane has suffered for her mistake but Alec," I spat and he looked at me in alarm. "_He_ might need another reminder."

Aro's jaws clenched tightly as he stared at the young guard. He was clearly furious with him. "Indeed."

The sun streamed in from the circular window high above, but no light ever touched the faces of the guards who stood within the shadows. "I want to make myself clear," I announced, my gaze moving over each guard. "Jane is probably one of the most powerful guards here. She _should_ be respected for her gifts. However, she made the mistake of disobeying Aro's wishes and in doing so, she also disobeyed _me_. Should any of you make that same error, you will endure what she did. I know you heard her screams. I know you felt her pain. You think you know suffering, but you will never know the true meaning of it until you come up against me."

The surrounding guards stirred restlessly as quiet hisses filled the air. Aro nervously cleared his throat. "Alec would you take Jane to her quarters please?" We watched them leave the hall and Aro's gaze sought out a hooded female vampire who stood close to his thrown. She nodded her head once and quickly took off after the twins. I could only guess that this was his wife, Sulpicia.

"I trust Victoria let you know of our original plan to send Jane and Alec to the Cullen family?" Aro asked me, his eyes sliding over to Victoria who stood by the main doors. She grimaced at him.

"Yes, she did," I said earnestly, wanting to ensure that Victoria did her job well.

Aro nodded in response. "I'm sorry for the trouble we've caused you recently, Miss Rigas. I assure you, it won't happen again."

I smiled – a peace offering. "Of course."

For the remainder of my time with them, we discussed the morale of the vampires here and Aro made absolutely sure that I would never be left out of decisions they made ever again. He wanted me to choose leaders to train the vampires for the war. There would be several groups of them and they would all practice at different times in the underground arena. Jasper was already number one on my list of trainers. Laurent might possibly be another, but I wasn't so sure I could trust him just yet. Eventually, Demetri spread open a map of Romania, pointing out where he had tracked down some of the wolf covens there. We made arrangements to send a few of my own people to those areas as well as to Siberia. I knew some of the members of the La Push pack had already made an attempt and failed at communication with these wolves, but I didn't need the Volturi to know that.

We all planned to meet again the next day in order to separate the vampires into training groups and I was to bring a list of leaders with me. I was immortal, nowhere near a school, and yet I still had homework. _Figures_.

A wave of relief washed over me as soon as I exited the golden gates of this hell. Marcus had continuously kept an eye on me throughout our meeting and it unnerved me to no end. I was practically itching to leave the place as soon as possible.

Just as I had promised, I had returned to Edward's family within an hour. The door to their quarters was partially fixed with duck tape and as I looked around at them and spotted Emmett twirling the roll of silver tape around his finger, I couldn't help but laugh. Though it was short lived. I was anxious and fidgety and I needed to speak with all of them privately.

"Is there a room further away from the hall where we can all talk?"

Sensing my unease, Edward was at my side in an instant, gently placing an arm around my waist. I leaned into him automatically.

"Of course," Carlisle said, leading the way down a small hall to the far back room of their quarters. I could tell just as soon as we entered that it was he and Esme's room.

There were many things we needed to discuss, my identity for one, but there was something nagging at my brain, eating slowly through my nerves. Rosalie quietly closed the door behind us and I didn't waste time asking the one question I needed to have answered the most.

"Carlisle, you were here for a long time in your early life as a vampire."

He watched me curiously, but nodded in return.

I swallowed, my throat feeling thick and Edward squeezed my side in reassurance but his face was a mixture of emotions. Jasper tried to ease my tension and I shot him a grateful look.

"How much exactly do you know of Marcus' power?"

His eyebrows rose in surprise but Carlisle told me exactly what I didn't want to hear. "It's infallible. He speaks little but Aro trusts him more than the others, I think. Marcus can sense relationships between people. It could be love, family, friends, enemies… the list goes on. He knows exactly how everyone is interconnected."

I thought back to the way Marcus had glanced at me the moment I felt hostile toward Caius.

Taking a deep breath, I stared directly into his eyes. "We may have a problem then."

* * *

Reviews are much appreciated. Also, I know I take awhile to update but I do post sneak peeks to upcoming chapters on my livejournal page. So, if you find yourself really itching for a new update, go check out my page and see if I've posted anything. ;)


	26. Ch 23: A Plan in Motion

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing in this story except for my own little plot line and any characters you may not recognize. Everything else is property of the genius Stephenie Meyer.

**A/N: **I'm not even going to explain why this hasn't been updated in so long. If you must know, there is an author's note posted on my LiveJournal page. Again, remember that I do post sneak peeks on my LJ, so friend me on there if you want to stay in tune with what's going on with "Secret Prophecies" and any of my other stories.

Also, big thanks to my beta, **twi-ction**, for looking this over. Enjoy!

**Chapter 23: A Plan in Motion**

Edward's POV:

Questions permeated the air, swimming through my mind, as everyone stared at Bella in silence. Given Marcus' power, I knew this threat would rear its ugly head sooner or later. I had just hoped for much later than this.

Bella sighed softly, a break in the continual buzz of thoughts in my mind. I turned to her, gently hugging her body to mine. Though strands of sunshine hair fell over her shoulders, she was still my girl. She was still my Bella. Her face still turned that familiar shade of red and when I held her closer, her heart still beat its familiar rapid tune deep within her chest. No mere trickery of appearance could faze me from the truth of who she was. Even when she hid her identity from me, I was drawn to her. Like a moth to a flame, I would follow her wherever she would go.

Amidst the silence, she nervously bit her lip, her eyes dancing across each member of my family. Bella's concern of Marcus' gifts left many questions on everyone's mind, but it wasn't the only thing they were curious about.

"You are scary as hell, do you know that?," Emmett spoke up, a sly grin spreading across his face.

I smirked as Bella turned to him, eyes wide. "What?"

"What do you mean, '_what_?'" he mocked, walking up to stand in front of us. "All this time we were so concerned over you because you were still human and fragile. But now look at you, Bella. You just kicked Jane's ass not that long ago. And while _that_ was more than thrilling to watch, I warned the family about you becoming immortal."

"No you didn't," I said, searching my memory for any sign that Emmett may have said something useful on the subject of Bella's immortal life other than, "Hell yeah! Edward can finally stop brooding and get laid."

He turned to me, a spark of laughter in his eyes. "Oh yes, I did."

"It's always the quiet ones," Jasper said, winking at Bella as he did so.

Emmett pointed behind him at our brother. "Exactly. I told Jasper to look out for her if she ever became one of us. She's a quiet one, man. And look what she just did! Fucking flipped a shit on an ancient vampire who was a pain in all of our pasty asses for years!"

Finally, he turned to Bella who stared at him like a deer in headlights.

"You are my hero, by the way."

Rosalie scoffed and smacked him on the back of his head. "You are such a moron. Not that I don't appreciate what Bella did, but we have more important things to talk about."

Slinging his arm around Rosalie's shoulders, Emmett backed away from us, his gaze still on Bella. "I'm your biggest fan," he mouthed.

Carlisle quietly chuckled but turned the conversation to a more important topic. The features of his face grew more stoic and his eyes seemed deeply saddened. Glimpses of he and "Marie" in an elevator flashed through his mind.

"Bella," he said, glancing toward her. "I should have known it was you the moment we spoke in the elevator. The emotion you held for me and my family was strong and at that time, I didn't understand why. But I want you to know that I meant every word. You are a daughter to me as you are one to Esme. All of us consider you as part of the family. Both Jasper and Edward have explained to us that you've had to leave Charlie and Renee for good. While I can't imagine the pain you must be going through, I want you to know that no matter what, you have a family here. We'll be here to help you, no matter the cost."

Alice bounced a little on her feet as she smiled brightly at Bella. Her excitement and joy could hardly be contained in someone so small.

A quiet sniffle came from my side and I looked down at Bella as she quickly tried to wipe away a stray tear. Before I could comfort her though, Alice raced over to her, throwing her petite arms around Bella's frame.

"How can you take me in?" Bella choked out, her voice muffled against Alice's shoulder. "How can you treat me so fairly after everything I've caused you?"

I turned to the two of them, rubbing soothing circles across Bella's back. "Because we love you, Bella. And besides, I think I did my fair share of you causing you pain."

She shot me a disapproving look, but didn't disagree with my words.

"Bella, nothing that you have done could make us resent you or turn you away," Esme told her quietly. "If anything, you've saved us all, time and again. You brought back a little bit of life to this family. You made my son feel love and happiness, and for that I will be eternally grateful to you. If anyone is to blame, it is us. We left you too, you know. It pained all of us to do it, but we knew that Edward wanted to protect you."

"Which was really shitty of him, by the way," Emmett grumbled.

I winced, knowing full well he spoke the truth, but Esme shot him a warning glare anyway. She walked over to Bella and Alice moved out of her way, a warm gleam in her amber eyes. "Bella, sweetheart, we love you. All of us have done things we're not proud of. We've all lied to each other in some way, and I say that we start fresh now. We shouldn't keep secrets from each other anymore. We should work together as a team and as a family."

Gently, she reached up to pull Bella into her embrace. "I can never replace your mother, Bella, but I have and will always love you as if you were one of my own."

The trembling that rippled through Bella's back as she silently cried in Esme's arms, ripped at my heart more than I cared to admit. It truly pained me to know how much us leaving her had hurt her. I honestly didn't think she would hold on for so long after we left. My hope was that she would move on and be with someone who was far better for her – someone who was human. But it seemed that I owed my own gratitude to these Treviaron members. Had they not found her, I'm sure Bella would have taken a turn for the worse. I had seen glimpses of her life before she became immortal. Her fragility was so disheartening that I could barely stomach the visions of her then. Alice would try not to see into Bella's life, but sometimes the pain Bella felt was so strong that the visions would come, regardless of whether I wanted them to or not. Not even Alice could try to block them from my mind.

"Bella," Esme murmured, still holding her tightly. "Why don't you tell us what happened? That is if you're ready, of course. Jasper and Edward have told us what they know, but it would mean even more to us if you relayed your own story."

It took a few minutes before Bella shook her head and slowly pulled away from Esme's embrace. While doing so, the buttery, golden strands of her hair slowly transformed into the rich, chocolately brown that I loved so much. Now, she was truly Bella in every way possible. The only difference that remained was the color of her eyes – a deep violet that outshone the dark mahogany that once resided there.

Tentatively, she interlaced her fingers with mine. I frowned, wondering why she felt timid in doing the action. It was as if she felt uncertain around me, and I didn't understand why.

Eventually, we all sat down and listened to her as she told us her story from the start to finish. I knew it all to begin with, but it was important that my family heard her tale from her own lips and not from Jasper or me.

When she was finished, a resounding silence overtook the room.

"I want you to understand something," she spoke quietly. "I never wanted to keep this from you. It nearly killed me to see Edward and Alice every day and not reveal who I truly was. And then that day when I came over to your house…" She swallowed hard, as if to keep her emotions at bay. Slowly, I traced circles over the smooth skin of her hand with my thumb, hoping to comfort her. Bella shut her eyes tightly for a single moment and then finally looked up at my family. The pain in her eyes was nearly palpable. "You probably shouldn't even know this much – and so soon. Given our circumstances, I've just put all of you in an extremely dangerous situation. If anything happens to one of you, I will never forgive myself."

Carlisle sighed softly as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Bella, you don't need to worry about us. I understand your concern, but I think I speak for all of us, when I say that I appreciate the fact that you chose to share your story. Your leader… Gabriel… how did he feel about you confiding in Jasper?"

Bella shrugged nonchalantly, her eyes never leaving Carlisle's intent gaze. "He didn't like it, not at first. But then he realized that he never gave me the chance to truly process everything that I had become. Had I not had Jasper to talk to, I would have surely gone insane. Gabriel knew that, so he eventually accepted it."

"Are the rest of your people here?" Rosalie asked.

"Some," Bella responded, though she felt unsure of her own answer. "At least, I think so. Gabriel told me there were spies here in Volterra, but I haven't seen them yet. I know that he and the rest of the Rigas family are supposed to meet with Jacob and the pack in San Gimignano. That's where I left Jacob alone a few days ago. He's there in case I needed to get away from… this," she said, waving her hand in the air. "I haven't even spoken to him since I arrived here."

Emmett looked thoughtful, a rare thing to behold, and I followed his gaze to the silver pendant around Bella's neck. "What's that do?" he asked.

She looked at him, confused for a moment, before picking up the necklace. "This? It doesn't _do_ anything. It's just a symbol for my kind."

"What does it mean?" Esme questioned.

Bella traced the intricate design of the pendant as she spoke. "Both the snake and the torch are symbols of Hekate, the Goddess who we serve."

"Woah, you mean to tell me that the Greek Gods and all that mythological crap is real?" Emmett interjected. "Like Clash of the Titans?"

Laughing, Bella shook her head. "No… well, maybe not. I've never actually seen Hekate, but she's the one who watched over the dead and mystical creatures," she said. "At least that's what they teach us in school."

"It makes sense," I agreed. "Your kind was always a legend to us. It's like how humans have their ghost stories and folklore – your story meant the same way to our kind."

"I never actually thought you'd be real," Carlisle whispered in amazement. "I had overheard rumors of the Guardiani di Trevia when I stayed with the Volturi years and years ago, but I didn't want to let myself believe it."

"Well trust me, you'll be meeting a lot more of us soon," Bella told him, and in that moment I saw a light of excitement in Carlisle's eyes.

"I think it's cool," Alice said, a bright smile on her face. "I have a witch for a friend."

"I'm not a witch," Bella laughed.

"Well, Hekate was… _is_…" my sister said, correcting her words.

"Hekate is a Goddess," Emmett said, proud of his fact. "Get it right, Alice."

"Oh shut up."

Jasper soothingly rubbed his hand up and down Alice's arm as he hugged her to his side. "Well, Bella makes a mighty fine witch," he said, winking at her as his deep southern draw echoed around the room.

"I'm not a witch!" she finally yelled, exasperated.

I chuckled softly, placing a kiss to her temple. "Well, you've _bewitched_ me," I whispered.

She looked up at me, amused. "I won't even begin to tell you how cheesy that line is, Edward Cullen."

"Yes, but you love it when I'm cheesy."

"That's because you never are," she smiled.

The light-heartedness with in the room slowly died as Bella informed us of her conversation with Aro prior to seeing us.

"I have to make a list of trainers for this army," she said. "I wish I could ask all of you to help, but the less I spend with you all in front of the Volturi, the better. However, there is one Cullen, or Hale to be more exact, who I've considered for this." Her eyes instantly focused on the only male Hale member of my family. "Jasper, would you be a trainer? You've had plenty of experience with this. Or at least, I think you have. Edward mentioned that you had been involved in some kind of vampire war ages ago."

"The Southern Vampire Wars," he told her, his expression solemn. Alice rubbed the top of his thigh gently, a knowing smile on her lips. "What have I decided, love?" he whispered.

She turned to Bella, a light beaming in her golden eyes. "He accepts."

Smiling, Bella released my hand and walked over to where Jasper sat. Instantly, she threw her arms around his neck, hugging him to her. "Thank you," she breathed in his ear. "For everything."

It seemed that I, too, had a lot to thank my brother for. With his support, Bella would have been lost to me.

Jasper hugged her back tightly before slowly releasing her. "I'll do whatever I can to help you… ma'am," he grinned.

Bella sat back down by my side, feeling a little more relaxed and confident. Breathing in deeply, she squeezed my hand. "There's someone else I'm interested in, but need your opinions on."

We sat quietly, ready and willing to hear her thoughts. "I was debating on asking Laurent. I admit, I was surprised to see him here, but he seems to have become part of the Denali clan. And my question to you all is… do you trust him?"

One by one, we all shared an exchanging of worried glances. To be honest, I never trusted Laurent, but he had come to us to warn us about James. For that, I was thankful for, but whether he could be trusted in something like this? I wasn't so sure. The only reason he ratted out his companion was because it was of interest to him. He no longer wanted to be around James, and with him out of the picture; Laurent could do what he pleased. I wasn't so sure how my distant family could have changed his demeanor in the slightest. Even Eleazar didn't trust him.

"The fact that you're not speaking soon enough gives me my answer," Bella murmured, disappointed.

"It's not that we don't approve of him," I told her. "But he's only recently become a member of the Denali family. We haven't really had the chance to know him yet. I know that when he came to us after James decided to hunt you, he only did it to get rid of James. It wasn't because he was truly concerned for you, Bella. So, do I trust him? Not really. But then again, I don't honestly know the guy."

"You could ask Victoria," Jasper suggested. "If she's truly loyal to you, which I think she is, she'll give you her honest opinion."

That seemed to soothe her for the time being and she planned on asking Victoria first thing in the morning.

Eventually, night had fallen over the town of Volterra and I promised Bella that I would be up to see her soon. Before she left, she had pulled Emmett and Jasper aside. She knew I could hear them, but still she made sure to speak to them further away from me.

"Edward needs to feed… soon," she told them. "I've made sure that he can leave the grounds without getting into trouble, but it would make me feel a lot better if the both of you went with him. I've already told him that he needed to ask the two of you, but for my own sanity, I need to ask you as well. Would you do that for him?"

"Of course," Emmett said. "We won't let him screw up."

"Thanks for that," I called to him over my shoulder. I didn't need to look at him to know that my brother was grinning like a mad fool. He was going to eat this up and have an unnecessarily fun time doing it.

Hours later, I made my way to Bella's chambers, careful to not be seen by anyone. Her eyes were heavy as she let me in and she lazily made her way back to her bed. It didn't take me long to realize that she had been sleeping before. So, I was content to lie next to her for the remainder of the night, listening to the sound of her heart and the soft flutter of the night breeze sweeping throughout the room.

Her breath was quiet, issuing through her partly opened lips. The smooth lids of her eyes stayed motionless as sleep overtook her. Curves so delicate and soft made up the borders of her face, the valley of her cheeks, the slope of her neck. Wisps of her hair fluttered past her lips with each breath she took. She was beauty. She was grace. She was love.

She was Bella and she was mine.

I reached out, my hand hovering in the air just over her face as we lay side by side. Moving slowly, I traced every line that created the features of the beautiful creature before me. I could almost see the cells that thrived beneath her skin; that made her the angel she was. God must have created her, for nothing was as divine as this.

"I thought I had lost you," I whispered.

She stirred slightly, a soft moan drifting into the air. My throat clenched at the emotion that suddenly overwhelmed me. How could a world ever thrive without someone like her in it? Bella captured everything within me that I strived to be every day. I wasn't a monster, but a man. I wasn't a killer, but a savior. I wasn't soulless, but filled with life. She made me who I never thought I could be. My redemption was through loving her. And I did love her, unconditionally.

The quiet lub dub of her heart was music to my ears. I didn't thirst for her blood any longer. I only hungered for the sweet cadence of its sound, for it calmed me in ways that nothing could in over a century of time. Her heart's notes and chords made up a symphony of music that replayed in my mind. I memorized it; let it soak into every fiber of my being. Her soul was my soul. Her heart was my heart. I lived because of her.

Slowly, I lay down against her with the side of my face resting over her chest. Her heart sang to me and I breathed in a deep sigh of relief as I held her closer. I could never do anything but love this wonderful being beneath me. And I _would_ love her… forever.


	27. Ch 24: The List

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing in this story except for my own little plot line and any characters you may not recognize. Everything else is property of the genius Stephenie Meyer.

**A/N: **Thank you all for the wonderful reviews! I hope you enjoy this chapter. And again, thanks to my beta, **twi-ction**, for her awesome skills!

* * *

**Chapter 24: The List **

Bella's POV:

Warmth covered my eyes, seeping through the thin layer of skin. A soft, orange glow clouded my dreams and I opened my eyes to a delicate stream of sun that glittered through the window. I watched the tiny dust particles float through the air, twirling slowly around each other as if waltzing in pairs across the broad expanse of air that served as the dance floor. There was a presence behind me, one that I barely felt, but rather knew. In the early morning sunshine, the corners of my lips twitched upwards, and I smiled. Despite everything I had been through, the horrors, the sadness, the overwhelming despair… I had one thing to keep me going. Only one person kept me living every day – one who made me stronger, bolder, more powerful and more loved than I had ever felt in my entire life.

Turning over in my bed, I came face to face with the one being that made me realize how important life truly was. Here, in the house of my enemy, I had found my savior.

His features were calm, his eyes closed. Tentatively, I reached out to him, my fingers barely floating over the curves of his face, like a feather drifting in the wind.

"I know you're not sleeping," I murmured, a hint of laughter in my voice. "It's impossible."

Still, he kept his eyes closed as a soft sigh escaped through his lips. "Yes, but sometimes I like to pretend I am."

Tucking the loose strands of his unruly hair away from his forehead, I asked, "Why?"

"Because even when I close my eyes, all I see is you," he whispered. "And when I open them…" Slowly, he opened his eyes, revealing the dark embers of his gaze. "There you are."

Edward reached up to take my hand in his, pulling it close to his chest where his un-beating heart resided. "I used to be afraid to close my eyes, because I would be left with sadness and guilt from leaving you. I don't know why you took me back because I'm not sure I really deserve you anymore. But all the same, I'm glad you did." He lifted my hand to his lips, slowly caressing my skin with soft kisses. "Now I'm no longer afraid to close my eyes, because I know when I open them, you'll still be there."

Watching the way he kissed my hand, so reverently, as if worshiping my very soul, I felt as if I was the one who didn't deserve him.

"You're frowning," he uttered quietly. "Why are you frowning?"

There was this nagging pull that tugged at the strings of my heart ever since I had showed my brutal nature in front of he and his family the day before. Regretfully, I let out a heavy sigh that fluttered the material of his shirt, ignoring the fact that I probably had morning breath. That was truly the least of my worries. "How can you still want to be with me after the pain you've seen me cause other people?"

"First of all," he began, reaching out to trace the line of my jaw with one cold finger. "They weren't _people_. They were vampires set on hurting others you cared about. Secondly, I've never seen you so…"

"Brutal? Horrible? Terrifying?" I supplied the words that I knew he wanted to say.

Narrowing his eyes, he said, "Fierce. Beautiful. Powerful. You never truly believed in yourself, Bella, and I think it's time that you did. I may not have helped too much with that before, but I want you to know that I respect what you are and who you are. That will never change… neither will my love."

A clear watery liquid filled my eyes as I stared back at him. "I'm so glad I found you again."

He drew me to him, his hands fisting into the material of my shirt, his lips seeking purchase against mine. And I was home. I was at peace, because I had Edward here with me, to love me.

"What will become of us?" I whispered against his lips.

"What do you mean?" he murmured.

I kissed him softly, gazing into his eyes. "I'm immortal now and I'm not even a vampire. I can live just as long as you."

Edward pulled away slightly and smiled, truly smiled. "Then is there any question of what will become of us?"

I leaned into the soft caress of his hand against my cheek. "No, but with me being the leader of a secretive group of immortal beings, I don't know if I would be allowed to be with you."

He leaned in close, so that his lips just barely touched mine. "And since when did you let the rules govern your decisions, Bella Swan?"

"Since it could potentially threaten your life," I whispered, my chin trembling at the thought.

"Bella," Edward beckoned softly. "My Bella… you won't ever lose me. I made the mistake of losing you once, and it won't happen again. Never will I allow anything to come between us, even if it is my own damn pride."

Through the tears that slipped down my cheeks, laughter bubbled up my throat. "You really are a stubborn man, Edward Cullen."

"Not anymore than you," he retorted, capturing my lips once more.

"I love you," he breathed, lifting his head up to kiss my brow. "I love you," he repeated, kissing my cheeks, the tip of my nose, the curve of my chin. "I love you."

"Forever," I whispered back.

* * *

The crisp air fluttered the sheer curtains of the window as I sat before it, staring out into the sun-filled sky. My knees were pulled to my chest, resting just beneath my chin as I listened to the sounds of life outside.

Edward had already left. He and his brothers had planned an excursion through the forests on the outskirts of the city to feed. Once he fed, I knew he would feel better, stronger. It worried me that he had gone without blood for so long.

A soft knock resounded from my front door. Lazily, I replied, "Come in."

Victoria strode into the room with ease. Strands of her auburn hair whipped around her face as she came to stand before the window. "You called for me?" she questioned.

I gestured to a seat, opposite my own, to which she took. For a while, I just sat there studying her. Victoria had been one of my greatest fears when I had been human, and now the tables had been turned. She wasn't exactly the best company to keep, but I knew I could trust her.

"As you know, I have to draw up a list of trainers to present to Aro today," I explained.

Victoria spoke not a word, but simply nodded in understanding.

"I asked you here because I need your advice. How well do you know Laurent?"

At the mention of his name, her back stiffened. "Well enough."

"Do you trust him?"

For a moment, Victoria let her scarlet gaze drift to the opened window, where a blue bird had just flown by. She stared out into the city, her eyes glazed over as if she were remembering the past.

"Laurent is an intelligent creature," she spoke quietly, her voice monotonous. "He was a good leader for the three of us and he knew how to take care of us."

"That still doesn't answer my question," I pointed out, watching her carefully.

She turned to me then, her eyes still void of emotion. "He's changed, Bella. He's not the person I once knew. Ever since he left to stay with Irina and her own coven, his ways have never been the same. I used to trust him. Now, I don't know."

Frowning, I thought back to the day I saw him in the underground arena. The way he looked at me made me feel that there was more to him than what met the eye.

"Why do you ask?" Victoria wondered. "Were you thinking of asking him to be a trainer?"

"Yes," I stated matter-of-factly. "That's why I wanted to talk to you. Do you think it's a good decision?"

She stared at me in silence for an unsettling amount of time, until finally she said, "Why don't you ask him yourself?"

The tone of her voice was not condescending, just merely curious.

"Because in a way, he frightens me. There's something off about him. I don't know if you knew about this, but he had come to the Cullens after James had decided to attack me. He warned us about the two of you and then left. My guess is that he went to find Irina's family at that point. Edward says that he didn't come to us because he was concerned about me, but because it was of interest to him to get rid of James."

Victoria clenched her jaws and I watched a slow cloud of anger pass over her eyes. "I had my suspicions," she hissed. "If you'd like me to stay with you while you speak with him, I will."

"Thank you, but I can handle Laurent. I just wanted your opinion on the matter."

Sighing, Victoria stood and walked closer to the window. The streams of sun bounced off her skin, creating an array of sparkling light that danced across the walls. "Despite my distaste for Laurent, he is a good fighter. If you were interested in his ability to teach other vampires to fight, then he would be a good candidate. He's been around since the early eighteenth century, I'd imagine he has plenty of experience defending himself."

"I hate to ask this of you, Victoria, but would you send for him?"

It took her a few moments to finally answer me. "As you wish."

Idly, I pulled at a loose string at the end of my sleeve. "Do you know of anyone else I could add to this list?"

She thought hard, staring out into the daylight. "There is one vampire who is certainly skilled in fighting. He's a nomad, I believe, and keeps mostly to himself. Like most of us here, he doesn't trust the Volturi."

"Who is he?"

Finally, she turned back to meet my gaze. "His name is Garrett."

* * *

The paper felt light in my hand, barely there as it fluttered against my thigh. Gianna rose to meet my entrance, but my eyes never noticed her. She spoke in a foreign tongue, whose sound barely reached my ears. I looked up at the golden trickles of light that swept through the windows high above as I made my way to the Volturi's lair.

Before me, the gates of hell stood, glistening in all their splendor, made to both seduce and condemn the ones who stood before them.

The air was cooler on the other side, more stagnant somehow. It was a warning, shouting, "Stop! Go no further, for you shall not survive."

But I would survive.

And as my fingers clutched the delicate sheet, decorated with the names of my allies, I felt the strength of an invisible army behind me that encouraged me with every step I took.

Three pairs of claret eyes watched me intensely, the pupils expanding and contracting whenever my body moved.

"Your Grace," Aro hummed, gliding quickly across the marbled floor to stand before me. "Have you made your selection?"

I should have felt fear as I stood before this powerful demon that walked the Earth. I should have felt an overwhelming sense of defeat as he rubbed his hands together and clicked his teeth in a manner that would have frightened anyone. Breathing in deeply, I held the paper out to him and could do nothing but smile.

_Several hours earlier… _

I stared at the small black cell phone that Gabriel had given me before I left. The sleek hard shell glistened in the sunlight from the kitchen window as it sat in the palm of my hand. I was only to use it to contact other Treviarons or the pack. And for the past half hour, I focused my gaze on the phone, willing it with my mind to call the one person I longed to talk to. It would have been easier to punch the number in myself, but I couldn't do it. Not that I could actually _will_ the phone to dial the numbers either, but I was too afraid to call him. What if someone else answered the phone? What if something horrible had happened? I had no contact with the other members of my allies since I had arrived here. Ever since that day, I kept reliving the guilt that I had felt for leaving my best friend alone.

"Jacob," I whispered.

"Bella Swan."

A thick, rich accented voice echoed throughout the small apartment, interrupting my thoughts. It sent a chill down my spine that ran so deep, I could feel the nerves in my body shake with fear. Slowly, I turned around. Laurent was standing in the foyer, his vibrant eyes intense as he watched me, like a hunter hones in on its prey.

"So, it's true?" he said, appearing before me within seconds. "The human turned immortal? Without the Cullens' help?" His laugh was sardonic, rumbling deep within his chest. "Pity."

My grip tightened around the phone within my hand and Laurent slowly looked down.

"I hope you weren't going to call someone… _unwelcomed_."

I narrowed my gaze at him. "Whose side are you on, exactly?"

"No one but my own," he purred, raising his arms out to the side as he took a few steps back. "I protect myself."

"So, you don't care about the Denali Clan? You don't care about Irina?"

His gaze hardened, but the devious smile never left his face. "Of course I do, Bella. I'd risk my own life for Irina."

I watched him carefully, sizing him up. "Really? You could have fooled me."

"Tell me, Isabella," he beckoned, dragging a nail across the countertop, which dug a deep trench into the granite. "The Volturi don't know of your true identity, do they? I'd hate to think that you've ruined the charade so soon."

That's right. How could I have forgotten? Alex had sent Laurent to tell the La Push wolves about me before I even arrived in Forks. "No. They don't," I spat. "And what would it matter to you anyway? You don't care about me, Laurent. You only care about yourself. Why not go join the Volturi and make this much easier for you."

"I hate the Volturi," he sneered, quickly pacing back and forth before my eyes. "Why else would I agree to help _your_ kind?"

"Be careful about what you say," I hissed lowly, never taking my gaze away from him. "Because I'm about to offer you a proposal and right now, I'm not so sure that I should."

"What kind of proposal?" He stopped mid stride and stared at me eagerly, his eyes hungry.

I took a step towards him, pocketing the cell phone. "How much are you willing to stand behind me?"

Laurent said nothing, but never took his crimson eyes away from me.

"Are you willing to die for this cause? Are you willing to risk your life in order to defeat the Volturi's army? Because if you're not, then you're no use to me."

He straightened, a slow uneasy smile spreading across his lips. "And what happens if I'm no use to you?"

I shrugged. "Then I'll kill you."

Laurent lunged first, reaching for my throat, but I was too fast for him. Instantly, I had him pinned on the floor beneath me. Reaching out, I grasped his left arm and squeezed until a sickening crack escaped into the air. Laurent screamed beneath me and I pushed my face closer to his. "Now you listen to me. My _kind_ has already accepted you and trusted you. _I_, however, know who you truly are. If I find out that you've gone against us, I will have no choice other than to _cut_ you _out_. Do you understand? Choose wisely, Laurent, because I can end this all now. Instead of killing you, I can make you forget everything you once knew. I'll make you forget what it's like to _feed_ – to hunger and thirst for the blood that you so crave. And when your body begins to wither into nothing, you'll have no idea as to why. Trust me_ that_ will be worse than death."

His nostrils flared in anger, but he did not retaliate. "I will and have always been loyal to _your_ side. You do not need to worry about _that_."

I smiled a sick, twisted smile. "Excellent. I just wanted to be sure." With ease, I pushed myself away from him and began working on making something to eat. Laurent stared at me as if had gone mad as I perused the contents of the refrigerator. Maybe I had gone crazy, but I had to make him understand. Pulling out a package of fresh mozzarella cheese, I turned back to him. "I want you to become a trainer for the Volturi's army. Of course you'll really be working for me, but I have promised Aro that I would help him with his army." Quickly, I pulled a knife out of the knife block on the counter and made a clean slice through the plastic wrapping on the cheese. "And I never go back on my promises."

Slowly, Laurent stood to face me. For a moment, I thought he was truly terrified of me as he tried to find his voice. _Good_, I thought.

"You've certainly changed," he murmured quietly, his eyes raking up and down my body. Finally he replied, "I will help you in this." His words were calm and unwavering. "Tell me what you want me to do."

"First, I need help with creating the rest of my list." I motioned to a piece of paper on the bar in the middle of the kitchen. Laurent moved to it, picking it up. He studied the few names I had on there with interest. "Do you know of anyone else who could help?"

He looked up at me, determined then. "Yes."

_Present…_

Aro gently took the delicate sheet within his hands. His fingers, with flesh as translucent as onionskin, gripped the edges of the paper tightly as if afraid he would lose it. After a moment, in which his ruby eyes ran over the page greedily, a soft triumphant sigh left his thin lips. "Why, your Grace astounds us all. This is quite a list, indeed. We shall inform everyone at once."

Within the hour, I found myself back in the underground arena, but this time I was not fighting Aro and his guards as I looked on to the audience of vampires before us. Rather, I stood beside him, the ruler of the undead. As I skimmed the thousands of pale faces, my eyes caught a familiar tawny gaze that belonged to the only man who made my heart burst into flames. Quickly, I looked past him in hopes that our emotions wouldn't relay any indication of our relationship to Marcus.

"Greetings, my dear friends," Aro began, spreading his arms wide as if in welcoming. "We have some important news. Miss Rigas has agreed to help me in training this army. She has created a list of trainers to support us in this task."

Aro turned his narrow, thin face towards me. It was my cue. "I will either call you by your proper full name or the name you have chosen for yourself." I knew that not all vampires had a first and last name. Most of the nomads didn't. Clearing my throat, I took a step forward with the list in my hands and began to call out a series of names. "Laurent Da Revin and Katrina of the Denali Coven. Garrett, the nomad from the American Revolution. Jasper Hale of the Olympic Coven. Zafrina of the Amazon Coven. Siobhan and Maggie of the Irish Coven. And finally, Benjamin of the Egyptian Coven. You all will report to me tomorrow morning at sunrise. There are many warriors here to train and we have many shifts throughout the day designed for each trainer. Does anyone have any questions?"

Silence filled the air and I swallowed hard, though kept my stance calm and strong. To be stared down by millions of red eyes was quite a terrifying thing to experience.

"Wonderful!" Aro exclaimed, clapping his hands. "Preparations shall begin in the morning."

"I believe you forgot one."

A tingling sensation shot through my arm and everyone, myself included, turned to the light, airy voice that came from the doorway. A nimble, female vampire skipped into the room. Raven long waves of hair cascaded down her shoulders and her scarlet eyes captured the light of the flames from the torches around the arena. Her features were far too similar to someone else's in this very room, and more than once I heard a Cullen family member gasp.

"Ah yes, Verrin, was it?" Aro questioned, moving swiftly toward her with an extended pale hand. "How could we have forgotten? Dear Miss Rigas, this is Verrin who has just recently come to us from the Grecian Coven. Her gifts are very valuable and I'd like to submit her name for the trainers, if that would be acceptable with you."

Verrin smiled at me sweetly and winked.

I stared, somewhat dumbfounded, that she had gotten in. Obviously, she had transformed herself in the disguise of a vampire, one that looked very similar to Alice Cullen. Memories of seeing her for the first time in the school cafeteria flashed through my mind. "Absolutely," I found myself saying. "The more help, the better."


	28. Ch 25: The Proposition

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing in this story except for my own little plot line and any characters you may not recognize. Everything else is property of the genius Stephenie Meyer.

**A/N: **Thank you again for all the wonderful reviews! **Twi-ction **betas this - she's awesome! **  
**

* * *

**Chapter 25: The Proposition**

_She stood before me, her eyes as black as night; two hollow ebony pools. Her lips twitched and she whispered, "You must save them." In one eye shone the reflection of Edward, his arms already ripped from his body, as he knelt to the ground. "I'm sorry, Bella," he muttered, broken. In her other eye was the reflection of Jacob, his body slowly falling over as blood seeped from the wounds across his chest. "It'll be okay, Bells," he whispered. _

"_Isabella." _

_I focused back on her, on her mouth speaking my name. "You _must_ save them." _

_Her lips moved, her chin quivered as soft pleading whispers filled the air. "You must save them," and "You must save _him,_" echoed one after the other. Crystalline tears slipped from her midnight gaze. "For I did not." _

I woke with a start. Small bumps rose along my flesh as a tingling sensation ran down my right arm.

"What is it?"

Looking down, I saw a pale hand resting on my hip and I reached for it, gripping it tightly. Edward had stayed with me again that night.

"It's Verrin," I whispered.

"What do you mean? She's here?" he asked, moving his arm as I sat up in the darkness.

"Yes."

He frowned, a frustrating grimace etching its way into his stone-like face. "But I can't hear her thoughts."

"That's because she's blocking you."

Edward looked at me sharply. "But you know she's here?"

A quiet laugh entered the room and a feminine silhouette moved across the moonlit window. "Any time that one of our own kind is near, we feel it… sense it."

Verrin stepped into view, no longer resembling the raven-haired vampire from the arena. Her golden hair curved in soft waves over the shapes of her neck and shoulders. The deep amethyst glisten in her eyes was startling in the shadows. It reminded me of the first time I saw her change on the highway.

She smiled at us, moving to perch on the corner of the bed. "I do hope you two are being careful. Sneaking around isn't always the best idea."

A low growl rumbled through Edward's chest, but I chose to ignore her comment. Verrin's smile merely widened.

"We didn't get a chance to talk after Aro sent you off into the crowd," I said flatly. "Mind telling me what you're doing here?"

"To help you, of course," she said, as if it were the most obvious answer. "By the way, I commend you on your choice of Garrett. He's very…" She looked off for a moment, thinking of the right word. "Worldly."

"I wouldn't know. I had help in choosing most of the trainers."

"I know," she whispered with a wink. "Victoria is a such a good sport."

"I'm sure she's just frightened to disobey me, considering the torture you all put her through," I spat, suddenly feeling very protective of the redheaded vampire.

Verrin rolled her eyes. "Please Bella… you do realize that if you were still human right now, she'd have killed you already."

I didn't say anything, knowing that she spoke the truth. Still, I felt that Victoria and I could trust each other now. It was hard to think of her as my enemy anymore.

"Anyway, I'm here because we figured you could use a little help," Verrin explained.

"Who's 'we'?"

"The rest of the family are in the same area as Jacob, along with the pack. We've been receiving news from our scouts here about your progress."

I stared at her, insulted. "My _progress_? You do realize that _I_ was sent on this mission. Not you, nor anyone else. Besides, how do these spies of yours know what I'm doing?"

"You didn't actually think that Victoria and Laurent just _happened_ to know some good trainers did you? Those vampires that they named work for us. Ever since they've arrived here, they've been filling us in on what's been happening in Volterra. That's how we knew of Aro's plans without infiltrating some of our own people into the Volturi's headquarters. They were always close by, but never close enough."

"Why didn't you tell me this?" I hissed, standing up. Edward watched me in alarm, sensing my distress before I could even voice the words. He instantly turned his gaze on Verrin, glaring. It was obvious that he wanted her gone.

I stepped to her as she still sat on the edge of the bed, _my _bed. "All those times I asked you all, including Gabriel, it was only _'our spies this'_ and _'our spies that.' _I thought we were all going to be honest with each other now. How _dare_ you keep me out of this… _again_."

"You're still new," Verrin warned, her voice menacingly low. "You still have much to learn. I know you've been struggling enough to keep your feelings about the Cullens under wraps. Marcus knows there's something between you and Edward. He senses it."

Dread spread throughout my limbs and I turned to look at Edward. His amber gaze locked on my own, widening in the dark.

"_Don't _understate him; do you understand me?" she seethed, her voice bringing me back to attention. "He's planning something, Bella. And whatever it is, you have to go along with it. If you betray them now, we lose."

"I don't understand," I muttered, feeling defeated. "Why are we pretending to be on their side? Why can't we just end it all now? They can't harm us, Verrin."

"Did you suddenly forget what Gabriel told you? About the Volturi harming those you love? Trust me, whatever Marcus is planning, it'll involve the separation of you and Edward. You will be at your most vulnerable then, and that's why I've come here." She grew quiet and looked down, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her shirt.

"There's something else," Edward said quietly. "Something you're not telling us."

After a moment, Verrin looked up at me, her violet eyes worried. "There's an eclipse coming. Soon. You know exactly what happens to us at that time. We _can't_ break the trust that the Volturi have in us now. Bella, we can't."

I swallowed hard and allowed gravity to pull me back down to the bed as I sat before her.

"What happens during an eclipse?" Edward questioned. It was something that I had failed to tell him, just like I failed to tell Jacob. When I didn't answer, he reached a hand out to my own, interlacing our fingers. "Bella?"

I watched Verrin while I spoke, not wanting him to see the fear in my eyes. "That's when we are our weakest. We become as powerful as you or the wolves or any other supernatural being."

Edward's voice seemed strangled as he said, "What does that mean?"

Finally, I turned to him. His porcelain skin gleamed in the moonlight and his tawny eyes locked onto mine, sucking me into his gaze. I don't know what I would do if I had to lose him again. "It means, Edward… that we can die."

His grip tightened around my hand and within seconds, he pulled me into his lap, holding me against him tightly. "I _won't_ let that happen."

"It won't be your decision," Verrin sighed, standing up and moving to the door. "By the way, Gabriel wants you to know that you'll be meeting another member of the guard soon. He's one of the spies that have been stationed here for the past few months.

"What's his name?" I asked her, pulling only slightly away from Edward.

"Daigh."

"Daigh?" I questioned. "That's not Greek, is it?"

"No," she said. "It's Irish. It means – "

"Fire," Edward murmured.

I turned to him as he stared out into the darkness blankly.

"Yes… not exactly your favorite element, is it?" Verrin commented.

He turned to her, but said nothing.

"Okay, seriously? Stop with the crypticism," I commanded. "What does that mean? Why is he called that?"

The corner of Verrin's lips turned up into a derisive grin. "You'll see."

And then she was gone. The tingling in my right arm had dissipated and I knew that Edward and I were alone once more.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he whispered, his fingers brushing away the strands of hair from my face.

I sat on his lap, watching the sheer, thin curtains flutter in the night breeze from the balcony. Flashes of my nightmare sped through my mind. "There are a lot of things I haven't told you," I murmured.

"Like what?"

I shook my head, my eyes unblinking and unwilling to meet his gaze. "Now's not the time, Edward."

He stiffened beside of me and I shut my eyes, knowing that his temper was beginning to elevate. "Then when will be the right time? You wake up in the middle of the night shaking and screaming, and I have no idea why! I want to comfort you, but I can't. You won't let me in, Bella." He sighed, running a hand through the messy locks of his hair. "Maybe I don't deserve to be let in anymore."

The last words were barely above a whisper and I turned to him, my heart shattering. "What?" I could taste the salt on my lips before I realized I was crying. "Why would you say that?"

He stared at me for a long time, his eyes roaming over the features of my face. "This is serious, isn't it? I tried to protect you before by lying and now you're doing the same." He slowly reached a hand up to my face, his thumb gently wiping away my tears before softly tracing the outline of my lips. "Tell me, Bella. Please."

His face, so full of love, beckoned me to release my secrets. My tongue moved forward against my teeth, ready to expel the words of my nightmares. But I couldn't do it. The muscles of my voice wouldn't move and I merely shook my head once more before climbing off of him and walking to the balcony window.

The night air was cool as it swirled around my shoulders. I breathed in deeply and shut my eyes. Almost immediately an image of Edward, broken and dead on the ground entered my mind. I released a frustrated cry and began walking back and forth, my hands attaching to the sides of my head in fury, my fingers digging into my scalp, tangling into my hair. The nightmares were becoming more frequent now, and it frightened me beyond imagination.

"Bella," Edward said, his voice cracking at the sight of me basically losing my mind. He moved to my side and reached out to me, but I shook his hands away.

It wasn't of any use. It was as if the universe was trying to tell me that being with Edward was truly impossible, that I shouldn't have even tried to begin with. And what about Jacob? I still hadn't talked to him since I arrived here. Was he okay? Was he safe? Verrin would have told me, wouldn't she?

"_Did you suddenly forget what Gabriel told you? About the Volturi harming those you love? Trust me, whatever Marcus is planning it'll involve the separation of you and Edward." _Verrin's words echoed in my mind as I paced the length of the room. "He'll find out," I muttered, fingers still clutching my skull. "He'll find out and separate us."

"What?" Edward asked, standing off to the side as if to give me my space, though honestly I think he was too afraid to touch me. "Who?"

"Marcus," I seethed, my breathing erratic, my voice strangled. "He'll separate us, Edward. He knows I love you." Warm liquid pooled in my eyes as I stopped to stare at him. My hands slowly fell to my sides. "He knows I'll do anything for you, even if that means forfeiting my own life. And he'll use it to his advantage."

"We would know if he were going to do that, Bella. I would hear his thoughts and Alice would – "

"Would what? Tell the future?" I shouted. "See the path laid out before her? The Treviarons will block you from doing that, and if they don't, Alec certainly will."

Anger lashed across Edward's face and his eyes blazed. "You'd let your own people toy with us some more? I thought they were on our side."

"I'm not letting them do anything!" I yelled back. "There are things about our history that I'm still learning, but I think there might be a traitor among us – the one who killed the leader before Gabriel. They never found out who the Treviari was, therefore, I can only assume that he or she is still very much alive."

His face softened and his shoulders began to sag as my words finally sunk in.

I sighed, frustrated and tired. "Things are not going to be easy anymore, Edward."

"I'm going to lose you." The words were not meant to be heard, but they slipped from my mouth and kept spilling into the night air. "My nightmares are going to come true. I keep watching you die and I know one day, I'll have to live through that and I don't know what the hell I can do to stop it! And now Marcus is going to find us out and what if he has you killed? I can't stand by and watch that happen, but it seems that everything's trying to tell me that all I can do is watch you die." In my hysteria, I hadn't noticed Edward walking slowly, deliberately toward me. "I can't lose you," I muttered, shaking my head. "I lost you once, I can't do it again. I can't do it knowing that you wouldn't be in this world anymore, I just –"

Cold lips brushed against mine, making the words halt on the tip of my tongue. Edward's hands sought purchase on my hips, pulling me forward as his lips claimed mine more fully this time. Our mouths molded to one another and I found myself leaning into him, my hands moving up to tangle in the chaotic folds of his hair.

Slowly, he pulled away from me, his hands covering mine to bring them down by his sides. He let one hand go, lifting it to let his fingers lightly trace over the skin of my brow. I closed my eyes, relishing in the sensation of his cool skin against mine. His finger barely moved over my cheek, dancing across my jaw until it reached my mouth. I felt his hand cup the side of my face as his thumb gently glided over my lips. "No more worrying," he whispered. "Not tonight."

I kissed the pad of his thumb as I opened my eyes. There was something in his gaze, an unspoken question. My heart thumped rapidly against my ribcage and I felt as if the butterflies within my stomach would burst free. His hands shifted down to the hem of my shirt, his eyes still asking. I nodded, the words unable to leave my lips.

The rush of cool air that swept over my head as he lifted off my shirt, left wisps of my hair dancing in the breeze, only to fall haphazardly over my eyelashes and lips. And then he kissed me, pouring out all of the passion and love he felt in that one moment. I clung to him, my fingers fumbling to remove his own shirt.

Seconds seemed to pass into minutes, and what felt like a lifetime, really wasn't so long at all. I remember stumbling over discarded clothes on the floor to get back to the bed, nearly slipping on Edward's pants only to have his arms tighten around my waist so that I wouldn't fall.

I remember the feel of his bare chest against the palms of my hands, the way his skin felt cool and smooth, like polished stone. I remember the pressure on my hips when his hands molded around the flesh there. I remember the slight pain I felt when he pushed inside of me, but the action of being so close to him overshadowed everything else. I remember his forehead slipping against mine because the sweat that coated my skin didn't give enough traction between us. I remember feeling his cold breath against my neck and every push his hips made against mine. I remember knowing that the moment was right and that we could finally love each other the way we had always wanted to.

What I don't remember is when the moon dipped behind the clouds and the sun lifted up over the horizon. I don't remember when I slipped off into a world of blissful darkness where there were no nightmares, only the feeling of being safe, protected.

When I opened my eyes, the sun was smiling through the window of my room. I felt warm and frozen at the same time. Looking down, I noticed a pale, bare arm lying across my exposed chest.

"You're beautiful," a voice whispered in my ear.

Flashes of the night before rushed through my mind, like an old movie reeling across a projector screen. The blood rushed to my cheeks and my eyes widened.

Edward chuckled by my side. "You seem embarrassed."

Astonishment was more like it. My mouth opened and closed several times before I could finally get the words out. "I… did we? Last night? You?"

"You don't usually make this much sense in the morning, Bella," he teased, lightly rubbing his thumb over the edge of my chin.

"It's just…" I sighed, reaching a hand up to push away the stray hairs from my forehead. "All this time, I've tried to get you to do more than just kiss me. I had no idea that acting like a complete mental case would do the trick for you. I should have thrown a temper tantrum earlier."

"Nonsense," Edward smiled. "Earlier, I could have hurt you. I knew that I couldn't now."

"You're such a liar," I huffed. "You'd never hurt me, Edward – human or not."

The smile on his face instantly died and he pushed slightly away from me. "You don't know that."

"Oh for the love of – " I reached for his face, cupping both cheeks in my hands. "Edward, stop this. I finally got to see you frown-free and now it's back. I want to see you smile again. Please?"

The corners of his lips twitched, but nothing more.

I let out a long drawn out breath, frustrated. "Fine. I'll just have to _make _you smile," I said teasingly, letting a hand roam down his chest and under the sheets.

"That's cheating!" he laughed, his voice cracking in a ridiculously high tone.

And suddenly, there was another voice that entered the room.

"Oh. My. God."

I let out a noise that was a cross between a squeak and a grunt as I felt the both of us fall over the edge of the bed and onto the hard floor.

Edward and I both turned around to see Jasper and Emmett standing in the room, their eyes wide.

"I'm going to kill Alice," Jasper murmured.

My hands scrambled for the sheet, desperately trying to cover myself before their eyes. Edward and I were so caught up in each other, that we hadn't noticed the two of them enter. Or had we? Shouldn't we have sensed them?

"What are you doing here?" Edward yelled, outraged. I gasped loudly as he stood in front of me to block me from his brothers' view.

"Dude!" Jasper cried out, clearly unnerved by the situation. He held a hand out as if to shield his sight. "Nakedness! Naked people! Why am I here? Why are you _not_ putting some damn pants on, man! I'm so going to kill Alice, I swear to God!"

Emmett merely nodded his head in approval. "Right on."

"Get out!" I screamed, picking up a pillow and chucking it at them.

Catching it square on, Emmett held it in the air with an appraising look as Jasper ran past him and out the door. "Good to know the pillow is still intact. You have much better control than me and Rosie."

"Out!" I screeched.

As soon as he left, I sat there staring up at Edward. His face was still furious and his fists were clenched tightly by his sides. Given the situation, it was hard to not let a giggle slip out into the tense air.

He turned to me sharply, his eyes blazing as he looked down. It was possible that I snorted this time when I laughed. I knew he was only trying to protect me, but the whole situation was so bizarre that I couldn't help but laugh hysterically.

And then Edward began to laugh too.

I reached up to take his hand, tugging him down to the floor with me. Scooting into his lap, my arms resting atop his shoulders, I kissed him playfully. "We have a crazy family," I admitted.

He kissed me back, his laughter slowly dying down but his smile ever present. "Yes, _we_ do."

I pushed my forehead against his and breathed in deeply. The Treviarons were a family to me, but Edward's family meant something more. His family was _my_ family. That thought made my heart swell within my chest. For once, I was where I was meant to be.

* * *

"I didn't tell you anything!" Alice retorted, her tawny eyes burning.

Jasper stared at her pointedly, his arms crossed over his chest. "You clearly said that Emmett and I should go wake up Bella to prepare her for the training sessions. Trust me, I don't forget anything you say, Alice."

"He's right. You did say it," Emmett piped in.

The whole family stood in a circle within the living room, watching the three siblings banter out the events from that morning. Edward and I hung back, our arms twisted together as I leaned into his side. "Alice looks like she's telling the truth," I whispered. "Maybe she didn't say anything?"

A deep furrow nestled its way into Edward's forehead as he thought. "From her thoughts, I can tell that she is telling the truth, but so are Emmett and Jasper."

I turned back to my best friend and watched as she huffed and stamped her foot, threatening to rip Jasper a new one if he actually believed she would send them up to interrupt us. "I knew exactly what Edward and Bella were doing! Why would I have you two morons go in there and screw it up!"

The rest of the family turned to us and I blushed a deep scarlet. Esme smiled tentatively at me before saying, "Alice, dear, why would Emmett and Jasper think that you told this to them?" Apparently, the rest of the family was nowhere in the quarters earlier this morning. They had no idea what had happened.

"Because they're idiots!" she yelled, throwing her hands up into the air.

Jasper growled, though it was half-hearted as soon as Alice noticed it. She stalked over to him, poking her finger into his chest, her eyes gleaming menacingly. "Did you just _growl _at me?"

"I… no."

"Jasper Hale, so help me I will – "

"Wait," I said, cutting off her words. They all turned to me as an idea raced through my mind. Tapping into Jasper and Emmett's thoughts, I saw clearly _who_ exactly they encountered earlier. "It wasn't Alice."

"Thank you!" Alice said, relieved.

Emmett shook his head. "No, no. It definitely was. Alice was standing by the door and Jasper was over there by the couch and I was on the other couch… playing my gameboy."

"Seriously?" Rosalie chastised, rolling her eyes.

"What? Babe?"

I shook my head, trying to stay focused. "Her eyes," I said, looking at Jasper. "Did they look different to you?"

He frowned, thinking back to a few hours before. "They were a little darker maybe."

I grinned, feeling triumphant in my assumption. "Like contacts covering up the true eye color?"

Realization hit him then. "Oh my God."

"You _are_ a moron!" Alice screamed, smacking him on the arm. "You thought I was someone else!"

"Now wait just a minute," Carlisle interjected, his voice firm. "What exactly is happening?"

I stepped forward, ready to explain, when I felt the slightest vibration race beneath my skin. Sighing, I shut my eyes. "Verrin, get your ass in here now."

A second later, the door to the Cullens' quarters opened, and the spitting image of Alice came skipping in. "Yes, Marie?" she sang.

Everyone stared at her in shock, unwilling to believe their eyes. I had to do a double take myself. Verrin looked _exactly_ like Alice Cullen.

Emmett was the first to speak. "What the frilly fuck is that?"

"Emmett," I said, exasperated as I walked over to Verrin. "Remember how we can change our appearances?" I held up a lock of my blonde hair to emphasize my point. "Verrin has changed her appearance to look like Alice. And the reason no once saw this coming, is because we can block your senses and powers. _Why _she did this though is an entirely different question," I sneered, rounding on her.

"Oh come on," she whined, her raven hair already starting to grow out. "It was fun."

"It was an invasion of privacy!" I retorted; feeling very violated from her ridiculous practical joke. "I can't believe you did that."

Alice was at my side in an instant. Verrin was now wearing her original vampire disguise, but there was still something about her that was very similar to Alice. "_You!_" Alice hissed. Her small body began to shake with fury and before I knew what happened, a loud crack echoed around the room as Alice's hand connected with Verrin's face.

I stood, shocked, as Verrin cupped her jaw. An approving smile lit up her features as she turned to Alice. "Bravo. That actually hurt."

Alice stepped forward; ready to hit her again but I pushed her back. "Okay, stop! I have to get both Verrin and Jasper up to the arena for training in a few minutes. It'd be nice if I could do that without getting us killed."

"Wouldn't be my fault," Alice muttered, her eyes still trained on Verrin.

"You know, I see why Bella likes you so much," Verrin commented as she straightened and made her way to the door. "You're a very passionate person, aren't you?"

"Verrin, get out," I warned, grabbing Jasper at the same time. "Everyone, I'm sorry about all of this. We'll be back later." I shooed both of them out of the room before turning to glance at Edward. "I'm sorry," I mouthed, feeling terrible for not being able to smooth things over in a better manner.

His lips crooked up into the grin that I loved so much, and suddenly, things felt right again.

"Ugh, get a room," Verrin whispered as I ran to catch up with them.

"You know, you have some serious issues," I bit back. "What happened between Edward and I was personal and _private_."

"Until this morning," Jasper remarked.

I glared at him, my hand itching to smack the back of his head.

"Now, none of that," he smirked. "But seriously, Verrin, why did you do that? That's not exactly how I planned on starting my morning."

Verrin stopped suddenly, gripping him by the arm and turning him to face her. She leveled her scarlet eyes with his. "It was nothing," her voice whispered lowly. Her thin fingers tightened around his arm even more. "_Nothing_."

"Nothing," he murmured, his gaze blank.

I stared, unbelieving, as Jasper shook his head in confusion and began walking toward the arena.

Rounding on Verrin, I said, "What the _hell_ do you think you're doing? You just manipulated Jasper's mind! I thought we were done with that… at least with our _allies_," I whispered harshly.

She stared at me pointedly and shrugged. "I know."

"You _know_?" I blanched, watching her brush past me. "Don't walk away from me!"

I spun her around quickly, my eyes darting to the sides at the occasional vampire who peered over in our direction. "I had my reasons," she said. "And no, not all of it was for just fun and games."

Frowning, I tugged her back to me as she tried to free herself from my grasp. "What do you mean by that? Verrin?"

Her hands were suddenly on either side of my face. _Bella, what happened this morning was nothing. It doesn't mean anything. I did nothing to offend you._

A pounding pressure weighed heavily on my brain and I felt my vision blur slightly as her words sunk in.

_It was nothing. _

"Nothing," I whispered. But my mind fought against the fuzziness and I was sharply thrown back into reality. And the reality was cold and harsh, it cut deep into my gut and I felt the sting of betrayal slice through my flesh. Verrin had tried to manipulate me as well.

I slapped her, hard and unrelenting, not caring who saw or how many onlookers there were. I didn't care about the repercussions of my actions because all I could think of was that someone I thought I could finally trust had deceived me once again.

Hot air blew through my nostrils heavily as I clenched my teeth together in anger. I spoke nothing and shoved past her, only this time she reached to grab my arm.

"Wait," she pleaded. _Bella…_

But I had already shaken her loose and was halfway to the arena before she could catch up to me.

For most of the afternoon, I had split everyone up into small groups so that the trainers could get acquainted with their trainees. I welcomed any distraction to take my mind off of what had happened. Verrin had turned her back on me before, but had apologized. The unfortunate thing was that I believed her regret then. I couldn't let my mind dwell on it though, not now. Eventually, Jasper and Garrett stood before everyone, lecturing them on the attack moves that they had learned from their previous battles and how they would be to their advantage in a fight. Garrett, in particular, had fought werewolves before and knew how just the right amount of force could shatter every bone in a wolf's body.

It made me a little nauseated, to be honest.

A few hours before sunset, I received word from Victoria that I was needed back in my own quarters. She wouldn't tell me why or who sent for me, but the fact that her thoughts were being purposefully blocked from me and the guilty look that resonated from her eyes, made me come up short. In that moment, I ended the training session and told Jasper that I would be seeing the family later that evening. As soon as he saw Victoria, his whole demeanor changed. A rise of panic shot through me, and I knew that it was his own emotions that I was instantly feeling.

Not wasting time, I followed Victoria out of the arena, careful to not let my gaze slide over to Verrin as we left. After what had happened, I was too afraid to even contemplate the possibility of Verrin blocking Victoria's thoughts from my mind. At this point, that would be the worst kind of treachery.

We were quiet the whole way up to the top floor. When we passed Gianna, she only smiled at me. Her usual jovial tone absent.

That startled me even more.

Climbing the stairs to my rooms, I felt a slight tingle ripple beneath my skin but it was so faint, I almost didn't notice it. Almost.

"Victoria," I hissed, grabbing her wrist roughly. "Who's up there?"

She didn't speak to me. She didn't even try to loosen the vice of my hand around her arm. In fact, in that moment, her mind had completely shut down.

Fear rippled through my limbs, pumping my heart wilding against its bony cage. Whoever was up there, it was not Verrin.

When we finally reached the door to my quarters, a small break in the barricade that held Victoria's thoughts was revealed. She turned to me, her eyes pleading. _I'm sorry._

And then her thoughts were once again silent and she frowned at me, confused. Her confusion quickly turned into distress and she fled down the stairs and out of sight.

I turned back to the door, my hand slowly reaching up to the knob, finding it already unlocked. Without another hesitation, I pushed my way through.

Aro was standing in the foyer, admiring the Monet painting that decorated the pale wall. My feet froze in place and I let the door glide slowly shut behind me.

"You know I do love this painting," he sighed, cheerful. "The colors are absolutely divine."

I narrowed my gaze, my limbs braced and ready for whatever he was about to throw at me. The tingling sensation that I had felt earlier was still there, but I knew without a doubt that this was the real Aro before me. So the question was… who else was here?

"I'm very delighted to see that your grace has conducted the training sessions so well on the first day," he praised, turning around to face me as he clapped his hands together. His blood-red eyes were hungry, yet terrified, as he watched me. It seemed that he wanted to overstep the boundaries and test my powers but knew better than to actually do it. Or did he? "You must be wondering why I'm here?"

I didn't say anything and the silence between us was taken as his answer.

"I have a proposition to make, but I'd like your approval of it first. It would be of the greatest honor."

He bowed lowly and my eyes followed his every move meticulously as he rose to stand.

"As you know, our own attempt to meet with the Siberian wolves did not bode well. So, I want to search elsewhere – Romania to be exact."

I thought back to the story Gabriel told me about how the Volturi wiped out nearly the entire Romanian clan of vampires. Something was brewing in that sick, twisted mind of his and it made my skin crawl.

"I'm curious to send others, ones who are not so obviously associated with the Volturi to try to communicate with the pack of wolves there. Romania is known for his rich history with werewolves, you know. Perhaps in this way, we can find a truce and no war will be necessary." Yet, as he said the words the _want_ for bloodlust was ripe on his tongue. "I want you to approve of a small group that I have pulled together to go on this journey. Unfortunately, I will have to send some of your trainers as their talents may be useful." He sighed, appearing genuinely saddened about this. "And I was so looking forward to seeing their progress here…"

"Go on," I ordered. "Who are the vampires you've chosen?"

A list was suddenly produced before my eyes and I took the thin, frail sheet of paper from his nimble fingers. I scanned over the names quickly. There weren't many. In fact, there were too few to be able to stand up against a pack of werewolves. But it wasn't really the number that grabbed at me and nearly threw me to the ground. It wasn't the fact that only _one_ of the trainers was being used to go on this mission. As I read through the names one more time, my heart plummeted and the paper threatened to fall from my hands.

_Jasper Hale. Emmett Cullen. Carlisle Cullen. Edward Cullen._

So, this was it.

This was the Volturi's way of testing me. They could have just sent Edward, but they had to send the entire male force of the Cullen family. They had to not only wound me, but my friends as well. Marcus must have said something to Aro. And now they were truly putting my supposed alliance on the line.

I wanted to rip his head off. I wanted to end this now. But my coven followed prophecies. They lived by them. If there was a war and I was the key to that war, then there was no way of stopping it. Not only that, but the impending arrival of an eclipse would surely leave us all in death's hands if I did something to screw this up now. Perhaps, this was the way to find out the truth from the wolves. If Aro was lying, Gabriel would give the okay to end them right then and there. But if he wasn't or if it was too late… Gabriel's words echoed around me and I did my best to cover the growing fear in my gut. _"__Not until the time is right, will the werewolf and vampire know of her power, for they will both sacrifice themselves for her. Should she tell the truth too soon, the one her heart truly belongs to will die."_ Had I told Edward too much too soon? I knew the answer to that before I could even think it. Was this how it ends? Was this how Edward and I would be separated?

"You said that you wanted to send vampires who were not associated with the Volturi," I stated, trying my best to keep my voice calm. Aro nodded once, his thirsty crimson eyes awaiting my next words. "If I've been told correctly, Carlisle stayed with you for a while. Is this not well known?"

A small smile graced the thin, dead lips of Aro's face, exposing rows of sharpened teeth. "That is quite a good observation, Miss Rigas. Fortunately, for us, the wolves do not dwell on their enemies' past."

"When do they leave?" I asked, handing over the paper to him with as much nonchalance as I could muster, though inside my body was crying and shedding thousands of tears.

He smiled, thin lips twisting upward. "Tonight."

I blinked, but did nothing else.

"Does that suite you, your grace?" he asked, ever so politely.

Every fiber in my body screamed against his words. My fingers itched to tear the smile off of his face. But my heart… it threatened to beat no more. Because that would be easier – to just let it all go.

"Yes."


	29. Ch 26: To Be Without

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing in this story except for my own little plot line and any characters you may not recognize. Everything else is property of the genius Stephenie Meyer.

**A/N:** Again, thank you all for the reviews. Some of you have asked me if I have any idea how many more updates there will be. Well... **there will be about 6 chapters left, folks.** So, we're definitely getting close to the end of it all now. Like always, **twi-ction** is amazing and I luv her.

* * *

**Chapter 26: To Be Without**

Bella's POV:**  
**

The air was colder down in the tunnels. It was stagnant, filled of the dead that walked in its midst. Individual flames danced along the stone walls from the ensconced torches.

I watched them flicker in the darkness as Aro moved ahead of me, his long midnight robes billowing around his feet.

"We're almost there," he sung happily, his voice like nails dragging across a chalkboard.

I imagined what it would be like to kill him. It would have been so easy…

We stopped outside a wooden door, one that I was all too familiar with. Aro rapped on the outer surface lightly and we waited in silence as quiet footsteps were heard on the other side.

Warm light washed over my face as Carlisle opened the door. His tawny gaze widened infinitesimally. "Aro. Your Grace," he welcomed, bowing slightly as he acknowledged me. "What brings this honored call?"

Aro smiled, his thin lips spreading wide over rows of sharp teeth. "Marie and I have business to discuss with you and your family. May we come in?"

Carlisle nodded once and stepped aside for us to enter. We locked eyes briefly and I tried to convey to him that I couldn't stop what was about to happen.

The living room was empty as we walked in and I hoped desperately that the family was out hunting or doing anything remotely away from here. But my hopes were shattered when Esme walked in, followed by Emmett and Rosalie. Soon, Alice and Jasper had entered into the room, their eyes guarded as they closely watched Aro.

Finally, Edward walked in.

I instantly averted my gaze from his and looked off to a bare spot on the far wall, wishing I were anywhere but here.

"Friends," Aro greeted, spreading his hands out in welcome. "Please sit down."

Carlisle closed the door quietly and made his way over to Esme. Once they were seated, the rest of the family followed.

"Marie and I have been discussing what we could do to try to better our communication with the wolves," Aro explained. He mentioned the story of his brother being attacked in Siberia once more and wished that we could find a more plausible solution to overcoming our grievances with the enemy. "Ms. Rigas had mentioned upon her arrival of sending her own people to interfere, but I do not want to cause her kind any more trouble."

I kept my gaze down and stayed silent as he spoke. I had heard this story time and again. One day, I hoped to find out that it was all a lie. Because one day, I was going to rip Aro's head from his body and set his flesh on fire.

He turned to me, extending an opened hand. "We have decided to send a small group to speak with the Romanian coven of wolves. Apparently, they keep in close contact with those in Siberia. In this way, we hope to achieve some sort of peace by having them convince their friends that we mean no harm. Ms. Rigas has the list of names."

His claret eyes were still watching me as he said, "Your Grace? Would you do the honors?"

The paper had been fisted in my hand ever since we left my own quarters. Swallowing heavily, I carefully opened the now tattered sheet and read the names aloud. "Jasper Hale, Carlisle Cullen, Emmett Cullen, and…" I paused at the last name, suddenly feeling a wave of warmth reach up behind my eyes. Desperate to keep my emotions at bay, I bit the inside of my cheek roughly.

Aro looked at me curiously and I took a deep breath in before reluctantly murmuring, "Edward Cullen."

"Pardon me, Ms. Rigas. I don't believe I heard you very clearly." Aro commented loudly.

My heart shattered. "Edward Cullen," I said, my voice carrying far across the room in hopes that I would not have to say it again.

There was an uneasy hush that washed over the room. I didn't dare lift my gaze to look at any of them. If I did, the damn of my emotions would surely burst.

"Excuse me?" Rosalie was the first one to speak. She stepped forward defensively. "Can I ask why you have chosen the male members of our family? Is there anyone else going with them?"

They were questions that I had asked and received unwanted answers to.

"Your family is highly respected amongst us, dear one. Your brothers' talents, in particular, will prove useful. Carlisle has the ability to communicate and reach a common ground with the wolves. My brothers have always revered him, as have I, and we trust him to carry out this request with success. Your husband will be there to help protect them should things turn… badly." He frowned slightly, folding his hands before him. "And no, there will be no one else going on this journey."

"What about me?" Alice spoke up. "Wouldn't my _powers_ be useful too?"

Jasper lightly gripped her arm as she stomped forward, her eyes full of unshed tears.

Aro smiled warmly at her. "Yes, they would be, sweet Alice. But we could use your talents here as well. You could be the one to keep an eye on them, yes?"

Alice blinked and lowered her gaze from his. The anger that coursed through her small frame was nearly palpable.

Rosalie instantly stepped back, retracting from Aro entirely, and was unable to speak another word. Emmett wrapped an arm protectively around her waist, hugging her close to his side.

I couldn't even bare to look at Carlisle or Esme. The fear and worry in their eyes would be too excruciating to witness.

"You leave tonight," Aro declared, his voice was sick and sharp, like exposed nails on the road, waiting to slice its way through someone's flesh. "When the sun sets."

From behind him, I let my eyes travel up toward Edward. He stood at the end of the room closer to me, his eyes locked on my gaze. Knowing that it had worked before, I opened a connection with his mind.

_Edward, I'm so sorry._ A shuddering gasp escaped in my thoughts and Edward frowned, the creases in his forehead forming a visible 'V.'

Aro suddenly swept past me and opened the door. "Your Grace," he beckoned, bowing low at the hips.

I turned to him stiffly; unnerved by the way his eyes stared at me hungrily.

Without another thought, I quickly exited the room, letting the frozen air from the tunnels enclose around my face as I heard the door shut behind me.

"That went well, I think," Aro said happily, stepping up beside of me. "If you do not mind, I will retire for the evening. I suggest you do the same to give yourself some well-needed rest. We will re-convene with the training tomorrow."

I nodded once. "Of course. I will put Jasper's group with one of the others. Thank you, Aro."

And with that, we went our separate ways. I walked back up to my quarters in silence, feeling the heaviness in my feet with each step I took away from my friends… from my family.

Upon entering my apartment, I let the shadows engulf me. I turned to the open window, seeing that the sun was slowly beginning its descent behind the horizon.

Twilight.

I closed my eyes and listened to the words of the prophecy that Gabriel had spoke of. _"__She who is born a mortal but who does not belong to that world will show her true self when Twilight taints the sky."_

The blonde strands of my hair faded to a dull brown. My body shifted and shaped back into the plain, ordinary girl that I was. I let down all of my barriers and focused on one thing. _Edward_.

Moments had passed and I waited in the still quiet of the room. A sad smile graced my lips when I heard the faintest click of the door open and close behind me.

His presence was all around me. I felt the nearness of him against my back and finally he wrapped his arms around my waist, letting me collapse against his chest.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, unable to think of anything else to say. "I'm so sorry."

"Shh…" Edward kissed the side of my head and tightened his embrace. "What could you have done? You have to continue to play your part, Bella."

"No," I said roughly, turning around so that I could face him. His beauty momentarily rendered me breathless. What if this was the last time I saw him? "I'm done playing by the rules. I won't let you go out there, Edward, any of you."

He smiled, though it was saddened. "You will do no such thing," he murmured softly, brushing away strands of my hair with his fingertips. "You don't know when this eclipse will come. If things turn badly before then, you'll be powerless against the Volturi. Who knows what they've been planning from the beginning, Bella. You need to keep up the charade. _Please_. Do it for me."

I shut my eyes tightly and ducked my head under his chin. "You said that _I_ was stubborn."

He chuckled. "You are."

"Don't make me do this," I whispered, gripping the material of his sleeves tightly. "Edward, don't leave me. Not again."

Edward tilted my chin up toward him, but I couldn't meet his gaze. "Bella, look at me."

Slowly, my eyes shifted to his serene face.

"I _love_ you," he whispered. "I love you more than I have loved anyone in my entire life. Don't for one second think that I don't, do you understand me? You are the most important thing to me and I _will_ come back to you. I will." He softly traced my bottom lip with his thumb. I looked into his amber gaze, memorizing it. And suddenly, his lips were on mine, pushing against them roughly. It wasn't a soft, loving kiss. It was passionate and raw. It was as if we were trying to hide away within each other, hoping to never be intruded upon ever again.

And just like that, he was gone, cutting the ties with me quickly. It reminded me so much of the day he left me alone in the woods.

I stood still in the silence of the room, left with the ghost of his embrace and the lingering touch of his lips against mine.

A strangled breath escaped my lungs and I fell to the ground on my knees. My emotions took control and I curled in upon myself on the cold, marbled floor, letting the flood of my tears run free.

When a deep violet stained the sky, I pushed myself up on shaking legs and stumbled toward the door. "No," I muttered, wrenching it open. My feet moved quickly as I ran down the stairs, but I was stopped halfway.

Verrin stared back at me, her arms blocking my escape.

"Don't touch me," I spat.

When she did not release me, I warned, "Step aside, Verrin."

"No."

"_Verrin_." The tears were freely streaming down my face, but I didn't care. I needed to stop them from leaving.

"You can't do anything about it now, Bella."

I struggled in her grasp and in a flash, I found us back in the entryway of my quarters. "What are you doing?" I screamed, running back at the door.

She halted me again. "Stopping you from getting one of them killed! You need to calm down, Bella."

I slapped her for the second time that day. The sting hummed against my skin as I glared at her. "How dare you. You betrayed me not only once, but _twice_. Do you actually expect me to stand here and listen to you?"

"Yes."

"I don't believe this," I hissed, pushing past her once more. Yet, this time I found myself being catapulted backward and landing haphazardly on a plush, crème sofa.

"What exactly is it that you think you're going to do?" Verrin seethed, her body rigid and on defense in case I tried to leave again. "Go down there and behave like a blubbering idiot? It's even better that you look exactly like Bella Swan."

"Fuck you, Verrin," I spat. "You know absolutely nothing of what I'm going through."

She raised her eyebrows, appraising me. "Oh. I don't, do I? Well, let me enlighten you."

I turned to her as she sat down beside of me, hugging one of the fringed pillows to her chest. "I believe it's story time."

"I don't want to listen to your story," I moped. What I wanted to do was rush down to Edward and keep he and his family safe.

"Too bad, so sad," she droned. "Listen, as hard as it is for you to believe this, I _do _know what it's like."

I watched her skeptically, but decided to let her continue before I said anything more.

"You read some of my journals, so you know I was really confused when I came on board to this freak show. I was sixteen when Gabriel took me in."

Now, I did speak up. "Sixteen? You don't even look that young."

Verrin chuckled softly. "Well, you do age a little bit, Bella. Gabriel certainly doesn't look like the young strapping man he was when Lukas found him. He's still gorgeous, mind you, but not young. You'll probably age by a couple of years," she said, inspecting me with her violet gaze. "But anyway, I met someone only a few days after I joined the Guardiani de Trevia. He was around my age but had been in the guard for far longer than myself. He basically took me under his wing, so to speak. It took me a long time to find out that I loved him. I was in love with someone else, you see…"

"I do hope you're not talking about Alex or Damian," I mentioned.

Verrin scrunched up her face in a grimace. "Ew, no. They're like brothers to me, Bella. I couldn't possibly think of them as anything but that."

"Okay… so, that leaves me with either someone I haven't met before or Daigh, who you've only mentioned once."

She smiled, silently commending me for my observations. "Then I'd say that you'd be correct about Daigh."

"Really? So, you and Daigh – "

"Have been together for over one hundred beautiful years."

Her words sunk in, and for the first time I was seeing Verrin for who she truly was. "Who was the one before Daigh?"

Tears pricked Verrin's eyes, but she did not let them fall. A blank emotion washed over her face and I watched as the light that usually glimmered in her eyes vanished. "He died in the last war."

Suddenly, visions from my nightmare from the night before flashed through my mind. _"You _must_ save them." Her lips moved, her chin quivered as soft pleading whispers filled the air. "You must save them," and "You must save _him,_" echoed one after the other. Crystalline tears slipped from her midnight gaze. "For I did not." _

I gasped as realization took hold. "You were in love with Lukas."

She stared blankly toward the marbled floor, remembering a time far from here. "I couldn't get to him in time." Her voice was so small, almost childlike. "I never could forgive myself. Daigh took it upon himself to watch over me then, like he did when I first joined. Over time, I fell in love with him, but I think he loved me from the very beginning."

I watched this strong, beautiful woman before me. She seemed so sure of herself, even arrogant at times. But like Rosalie, there was a past that left its emotional scars. If I looked close enough, I could see the withered lines by her eyes, displaying her many years of exhaustion. I could see the pain behind her vibrant gaze. This was a woman who had been broken, yet overcame her loss in more ways than one.

"I'm sorry," I murmured.

Verrin shook her head and turned to look at me. "It was a long time ago. But I need you to understand my story, Bella. You remind me a lot of how I was. God knows, Edward reminds me everyday of Lukas."

"Why do they look so much like each other?" I asked her.

She shrugged. "It's something that you need to find the answer to on your own. I know, because Lukas told me, but the truth is hidden in his journals. Gabriel told me that Lukas has been contacting you. He's trying to guide you somewhere, correct?"

When I nodded, she continued. "Then let him."

She smiled sadly and began to pick at the white fringe of the pillow. "I want you to understand why I did what I did earlier this morning. As hard as it is to believe, I was actually trying to save the Cullens from hearing Aro's plans so soon. He had sent Demetri and Felix to give them the news this morning. I already knew that Carlisle was in one of the libraries doing research and Rosalie, Alice, and Esme were out wandering the tunnels. Jasper and Emmett were the only ones left in the quarters. So, I transformed into Alice and convinced them to leave. That way, when Demetri and Felix showed up, they only saw me and I knew that Alice wasn't a part of their plan. Besides, Jasper and Emmett interrupting your private time is a lot better than what it could have been, trust me." She sighed quietly, turning her gaze to the now darkening sky. "I know what it's like to feel separated from the one you love and I was trying to delay that from happening to you, for however long I could. When Victoria came to get you during the training sessions, I knew it'd be too risky to try to interfere. There was nothing that I could do at that point."

I stared at her in shock. Inside, I battled over whether to believe her words, but I knew deep down, that she was right.

"I did betray you before, Bella. We all did because we were so used to obeying Gabriel, but I did _not_ betray you this time. I never will do something like that again. I promise you."

Nodding was all I could manage. I couldn't find words to say to her in that moment because I wasn't sure if I could forgive her yet. Verrin did things, whether they were good or bad, without consulting me first. I knew she was trying to protect me, but it would still take time for me to truly understand her. This was only a little piece of her that she had willingly let me see.

"I'd like to see Gabriel tomorrow, if that's okay," I said, deciding to change the subject.

Verrin frowned, but agreed with my request. "I'll call Daigh to come get us in the morning. We'll leave and return before the training sessions start."

Before she left me, she placed a hand gently on my shoulder and said, "They'll be all right, Bella. You have to believe that."

Her voice was on repeat in my mind as I lay in bed. I found myself on Edward's side, breathing in his scent as I brought his pillow closer to my face. The walls before me were dimmed in their usual brightness, painted over by the night's dark sky. Sleep wouldn't come to me. It seemed like I had stayed that way for hours, staring out at nothing, frozen in a state of solitude and grief. What had my life become? How many more had to suffer at my hands? How many more did I have to lose?

I felt the mattress give as someone climbed in beside of me. Her presence brought warmth to the slow stutter of my heart and I blinked, letting a stray tear slip from the corner of my eye. A tiny arm wrapped around my waist and I felt her body mold against mine.

"Hi, Bella," Alice whispered.

I opened my mouth to speak, but could barely make a sound.

"They're fine," she assured me. "I can see them for the time being. I doubt I'll be able to see them once they get closer to the wolves, though. When I knew you were possibly with Jacob, I couldn't even connect with you. But I know they'll be okay, Bella. Jasper and Edward will use their gifts to keep them from harm's way. Carlisle knows his way around Romania and Emmett isn't as daft as people think he is. He's a hell of lot more clever than most give him credit for. You don't need to worry."

"I'm so sorry," I breathed. It felt like that was all I could say anymore.

Alice hugged me to her closer, resting her forehead against the back of my neck. "I know."

My body trembled as tears fought their way out and I curled into a ball, ducking my face into the crook of my elbows. Alice held me to her, letting me mourn freely. She slipped a hand through mine, squeezing it gently and I clung to her, releasing the sorrow and fear I felt from being separated from Edward once more.

When the tears finally dried, and my breaths became shallow, Alice inched her lips closer to my ear. "Sleep, Bella," she whispered. "Sleep."

I remembered feeling her place a kiss to my temple before the darkness finally consumed me.


End file.
